Trump defends Musk’s ‘genius’ email to federal workers

President Trump on Monday defended tech billionaire Elon Musk after pushback over his email demanding federal workers list five accomplishments from the past week and in doing so, raising the of risk losing their jobs.

“There was a lot of genius in sending it. We’re trying to find out if people are working and so we’re sending a letter to people, please tell us what you did last week. If people don’t respond, it’s very possible that there is no such person or they’re not working,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.

The email instructed federal workers to respond to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) by 11:59 p.m. EST Monday with five bullet points of accomplishments.

When asked if the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) could benefit from streamlined communication, Trump blamed the Biden administration and then suggested that some people listed as federal government workers don't exist, without providing any proof of that actually being the case.

“I thought it was great because we have people that don’t show up to work and nobody even knows if they work for the government. So, by asking the question, tell us what you did this week, what he’s doing is saying, are you actually working? And then if you don’t answer, like, you’re sort of semi fired or you’re fired,” the president said.

He added, “because a lot of people are not answering because they don’t even exist. That’s how badly various parts of our government were run, especially by this last group. So, what they’re doing is they’re trying to find out who’s working for the government, are we paying other people who aren’t working?”

A growing list of agencies, including the Pentagon, FBI, State Department and intelligence community, have told their employees to hold off and not respond to the email, with some citing national security concerns.

Trump said he’s not concerned about the disconnect between Musk and the agency heads, saying they're request was not doing in a combative manner.

“That was done in a friendly matter, only thing perhaps Marco [rubio] at State Department where they have very confidential things or the FBI where they’re working on confidential things. And, they don’t mean that any way combatively way with Elon,” Trump said. “But, other than that, I think everyone thought it was a pretty ingenious idea. We have to find out where these people are, who are they?”

Other agency heads, including Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, has advised employees to answer the OPM email.

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) questioned the legal authority of the directive in a letter to acting OPM Director Charles Ezell on Sunday. It then expanded a lawsuit with other unions suing the Trump administration over its push to fire probationary employees across the government to challenge Musk’s threat to fire workers who fail to respond to the OPM email.

Topics

Trump calls Elon Musk's email ultimatum 'genius' as federal workers and some agencies push back

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Monday embraced Elon Musk's ultimatum demanding that federal workers report what they had accomplished last week or lose their jobs, a directive facing ...
NBC News - 4h
Trump Calls Musk’s Email to Federal Workers ‘Ingenious.’ Some Agencies Are Pushing Back.

President Trump said employees would be “sort of semi-fired” or fired if they didn’t comply with an Elon Musk order to detail their work. Some agencies told staff members to ignore it. Federal ...
The New York Times - 2h
Elon Musk Tells Federal Workers to Detail Work in an Email or Lose Their Jobs

Elon Musk has drawn inspiration from his 2022 takeover of Twitter with the tactic. His threat on social media of termination did not appear in an email to federal workers requesting the work ...
The New York Times - 1d
Musk says federal worker email meant to spot 'outright fraud'

Tech billionaire Elon Musk said Sunday the email to federal employees asking them to report back on their weekly accomplishments is meant to spot “outright fraud” from people on the payroll who ...
The Hill - 1d
Federal workers can ignore Elon Musk’s email ultimatum, US office of personnel says – live

US office says federal workers are not obliged to respond to the email despite Elon Musk claiming ignoring the email would be considered a resignation. Here’s a little more on Dan Bongino , the ...
The Guardian - 19m
Trump posts SpongeBob meme mocking federal workers after email requesting accomplishments

President Trump posted a "SpongeBob Squarepants" meme mocking federal employees in the wake of an email sent to the workforce asking them to document their achievements from the past week. The meme ...
The Hill - 8h
Lawsuit challenges Musk 'resignation' threat to federal workers

Elon Musk has been tasked by President Donald Trump with slashing federal government spending and the federal employee headcount, an effort known as DOGE.
CNBC - 3h
Federal employees suing Elon Musk over tasks email

Federal employees are suing Elon Musk after receiving an email that the Trump ally touted on social media. The lawsuit surrounds an email demanding a list of tasks done throughout the week or risk ...
CBS News - 3h
Elon Musk demands federal workers explain their jobs or be sacked

Billionaire steps up efforts to cull government employees with emailed deadline
Financial Times - 1d
Elon Musk says federal workers must justify their work — or resign

Billionaire Elon Musk issued an ultimatum to federal employees Saturday, saying in a post on his social media platform X that employees must respond to an email justifying the work they completed ...
NBC News - 1d
List weekly accomplishments or resign, Musk tells US federal workers

The weekend email comes as Elon Musk leads an effort to aggressively curtail the government workforce.
BBC News - 1d
GOP senator calls for 'compassion' in Musk's approach to federal workers

Sen. John Curtis (R-Utah) on Sunday called for “compassion” in tech billionaire Elon Musk’s approach to federal workers. “I just published an op-ed, Deseret News, Deseret.com, and I talk about my ...
The Hill - 1d
Musk: Federal workers who haven’t returned to office will be placed on leave this week

Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) leader Elon Musk said early Monday that federal workers who haven’t returned to the office will be placed on administrative leave this week. Last month, ...
The Hill - 9h
Federal workers sue over Musk's threat to fire if they don't explain accomplishments

Attorneys for federal workers say in a lawsuit billionaire Trump adviser Elon Musk violated the law with his weekend demand that employees explain their accomplishments or risk being fired
ABC News - 7h
Americanswers... on 5 Live! What's Elon Musk's latest threat to federal workers?

And will the president listen to European leaders this week?
BBC News - 4h
Elon Musk demand that federal workers document what they do causes chaos

Unions ask judge to block retaliation against staff over what unnamed Pentagon official calls ‘silliest thing in 40 years’. US politics live – latest updates A top labor union has condemned ...
The Guardian - 3h
Under Trump, D.C. Faces More Federal Control, Fewer Federal Workers

The Washington region is bracing for a shock to the local economy from President Trump and Elon Musk’s sweeping cuts to the government work force.
The New York Times - 3d
Trump calls DOGE email on federal employees' work week an 'ingenious idea'

President Trump praised an email sent by DOGE to federal workers asking them to respond with their accomplishments at their position in the last week.
NBC News - 3h
Elon Musk’s Email Ultimatum For Federal Employees Is The 1 Thing No Leader Should Ever Do

Musk says employees will lose their jobs if they don’t explain what they do.
Inc. - 21h
Trump administration can continue mass firings of federal workers, judge rules

US judge rejects bid by group of labor unions to halt president’s government overhaul through Musk-led ‘Doge’. The Trump administration can for now continue its mass firings of federal employees, ...
The Guardian - 4d
Trump, DOGE mass job cuts: Federal workers’ money questions answered

The Trump administration is terminating federal workers across agencies. Here’s what to know about your rights and finances if you were impacted by the cuts.
CNBC - 3d
Musk: Federal workers who gave 'good responses' to new policy deserve promotion consideration

Tech billionaire Elon Musk said he’s encouraged by the “good responses” he’s received so far to an email asking federal employees to detail their recent work efforts and suggested the employees who ...
The Hill - 1d
Sen. John Curtis says Elon Musk needs "dose of compassion" for federal workers

Republican Sen. John Curtis of Utah says Elon Musk needs to bring a "dose of compassion" to his treatment of federal workers who are being fired across the government.
CBS News - 1d
Trump 2nd term live updates: Trump admin says Musk's email order is voluntary

The Trump administration told federal agencies they don't have to direct workers to comply with Elon Musk's request for information about their activities at work.
ABC News - 14m
Musk sends warning to federal employees over new Trump policy

Elon Musk, special advisor to President Trump, warned federal employees on Saturday of a new policy requiring them to detail their work efforts via email in order to keep their jobs. “Consistent ...
The Hill - 1d
Some Trump officials are opposing Musk's email request demanding list of tasks done

Some Trump-appointed officials have instructed their employees not to reply to an email that Elon Musk touted on social media. The request came from the Office of Personnel Management and demanded ...
CBS News - 5h
Live updates: Trump, Macron talk Russia-Ukraine war; Musk email reply now voluntary

President Trump appeared alongside French President Emmanuel Macron for a press conference Monday afternoon at the White House, after meeting on the third anniversary of the Russian invasion of ...
The Hill - 53m
DOGE Email Throws Federal Agencies Into Chaos and Confusion

Across the US government, workers failed to get clear guidance on whether or how to respond to an email asking what they did this week, despite Elon Musk’s claim that their jobs are at risk.
Wired - 1d
From weather apps to taxes: the trickle-down effects of Trump’s federal worker firings

Gutting of workforce will have far-reaching consequences as advocates warn of playing ‘Russian roulette’ with safety. You wake up to dark clouds outside, so you check the weather on your phone: a ...
The Guardian - 4d
Federal worker fired by Trump administration talks about losing her dream job amid major cuts

Katie Sandlin thought she landed her dream job at the NIH as an educator. She spent her life savings to move from Alabama to just outside Washington, D.C. After only a few weeks on the job, she was ...
CBS News - 3d
Murkowski knocks Musk over ‘absurd weekend email’

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) slammed Elon Musk over an “absurd weekend email” sent to federal employees requiring they send the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) a list of what they ...
The Hill - 23h
Some agencies tell employees to hold off responding to latest Musk email

Multiple federal agencies appeared to be caught off guard by the Elon Musk-directed email from the Office of Personnel Management.
ABC News - 1d
'Ultimate d‑‑‑ boss move': Democratic senator rips Musk email

Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.) slammed tech billionaire Elon Musk over an email sent to federal employees requesting information on “what you accomplished last week.” “This is the ultimate d‑‑‑ boss ...
The Hill - 1d
Agencies push back on Musk email, including FBI, Pentagon, State, Intel

Several federal agencies have advised employees not to respond to Elon Musk’s email demanding federal workers list five accomplishments from the past week or risk losing their jobs. The email ...
The Hill - 1d
Some Agencies Urge Staff Not to Comply With Elon Musk’s Performance Email

The F.B.I. director, Kash Patel, the director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, and others told employees not to respond to a directive from Mr. Musk to summarize their accomplishments.
The New York Times - 21h
Musk’s OPM email: Midnight deadline nears amid widespread confusion

The deadline given to federal employees by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and Elon Musk over the weekend is quickly approaching, but widespread confusion remains as agencies tell workers ...
The Hill - 5h
Senior Justice Department staff tell employees to disregard email promoted by Musk

Elon Musk posted Saturday on his social media site that failure to reply to the email would be taken as a resignation.
CBS News - 2h
Musk boasts federal cuts by hoisting chainsaw at conference

Elon Musk drives home his rapid shredding of the federal government by hoisting a chainsaw representing the slashing of jobs and spending during a conference. Some Republicans are facing pushback ...
NBC News - 3d
Alarm over Musk's latest demands for federal employees

Elon Musk posted on social media about federal workers having to document their work or risk losing their jobs. This comes as more details emerge about USAID worker firings and as Musk persists on ...
CBS News - 9h