Elon Musk and Donald Trump have sent an email to every federal employee demanding they list their work accomplishments from the past week—or risk being considered as having resigned. The email, sent on February 22, was part of the administration’s broader effort to streamline government efficiency under Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
The email instructed employees to respond by 11:59 PM ET on Monday with “approx. 5 bullets of what you accomplished last week” while also cc’ing their manager. Employees were warned not to include classified information, links, or attachments. Musk announced the directive on X, writing: “Consistent with President @realDonaldTrump’s instructions, all federal employees will shortly receive an email requesting to understand what they got done last week. Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation.”
Responding to this email would take less than 2 minutes for any truly productive person.
— Matt Van Swol (@matt_vanswol) February 22, 2025
Why is this in any way controversial? pic.twitter.com/vm1Yig5bRi
The move has been met with resistance from federal agencies. FBI Director Kash Patel advised employees not to immediately respond, stating the bureau would conduct its own internal review. Federal court officials also urged non-compliance, arguing that the email “did not originate from the judiciary or the administrative office and we suggest that no action be taken.”
Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, condemned the measure, calling it “cruel and disrespectful” to federal workers. He also promised to challenge “any unlawful terminations” that may result from the ultimatum. Despite the backlash, Musk and Trump have not backed down from their plan to hold federal employees accountable for their productivity.
