Several U.S. government agencies have recently issued directives instructing employees not to respond to Tesla CEO Elon Musk's order to submit weekly work reports. Musk posted on social media platform X, stating that failure to submit reports on time would be considered voluntary resignation.
According to emails and sources, FBI and State Department staff were notified not to respond outside their command systems, highlighting internal government disagreements over the order. This behavior might also indicate tensions between Trump administration members and Musk, especially after Musk's layoff campaign, which has seen 2.3 million federal civilian employees dismissed.
On Saturday night, government agency employees received emails from federal departments, requiring them to detail the previous week's work by 11:59 PM every Monday. Meanwhile, FBI Director Christopher Wray, appointed by the Trump administration, clearly stated that any response must go through the director's office.
Employees from several government departments, including the Department of Defense, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Education, the Department of Commerce, and the National Institutes of Health, were also asked to temporarily not respond to Musk's request until further instructions are received. Sources revealed that intelligence agency employees would also be advised not to respond. U.S. Department of Defense and other federal agency employees expressed concern, stating this order was "abnormal and unexpected."
Some government officials welcomed this move. Ed Martin, the acting District Attorney appointed by Trump, praised Musk and his "Department of Government Efficiency" (DOGE) in an email. However, other Justice Department offices, including the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys, instructed employees not to respond until further notice.
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the largest government union in the U.S., stated on social media that Musk has no authority to fire employees who do not respond, and they will formally request the Office of Personnel Management to rescind this directive. The union also suggested its members consult their supervisors directly about whether they need to respond, and act according to their supervisors' guidance.
Under Musk's leadership, the "Department of Government Efficiency" (DOGE) dismissed over 20,000 government employees early in the Trump administration and proposed buyout offers for an additional 75,000 employees, affecting multiple government departments. However, this rapid pace of layoffs has also left certain critical positions vacant, making issues like ensuring the security of the national nuclear arsenal and responding to avian flu outbreaks increasingly urgent.
This incident has sparked broader discussions on balancing efficient government operations with employee rights and may bring new impacts on the Trump administration and its policies as further information unfolds.
