Elon Musk’s recent initiative to overhaul government efficiency has encountered sharp resistance from key figures within President Trump’s administration, signaling a potential limit to Musk’s influence in Washington. As the newly appointed head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Musk launched his campaign with an aggressive push for accountability. His effort began with a mass email titled “What did you do last week?” sent to millions of federal employees, demanding they list five recent accomplishments—a move that suggested non-compliance could risk job termination.
The response was swift and defiant. Within 48 hours, several government agencies declared the request voluntary, directly challenging Musk’s authority despite his continued insistence on compliance, reported The New York Times.
“There is no H.H.S. expectation that H.H.S. employees respond to O.P.M., and there is no impact to your employment with the agency if you choose not to respond,” said an email sent to employees at the Department of Health and Human Services, referring to the agency that sent Mr. Musk’s request, the Office of Personnel Management.
The Department of Health and Human Services added that anyone who wanted to respond should “assume that what you write will be read by malign foreign actors and tailor your response accordingly.”
Also on Monday, the Office of Personnel Management sent out a new memo reiterating the request and the deadline, though allowing agency heads to “exclude personnel from this expectation at their discretion.”
Chiefs of staff and personnel chiefs at the national security and intelligence agencies spent Saturday and Sunday trying to develop a coordinated response, according to a senior U.S. official familiar with the discussions. The result of that effort began when Kash Patel, Mr. Trump’s newly installed F.B.I. director, told the bureau’s employees to “pause any responses” to the Musk directive.
With more than 2.3 million federal employees caught in the middle, the uncertainty surrounding Musk’s directive continues to grow. The timing of this controversy is particularly significant, as it comes just days before President Trump’s first full cabinet meeting of his second term. However, with mounting tensions and internal dissent, Musk’s influence over the federal workforce may face significant challenges in the weeks ahead.
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