Lagatar24 Desk
Washington: Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, now an advisor to US President Donald Trump, has warned federal employees that they must justify their work or face termination. The statement comes hours after Trump urged Muskto take a more aggressive approach in slashing government spending.
“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,” Musk announced on his platform, X (formerly Twitter).
Government Employees Asked to Justify Their Work
The US Office of Personnel Management (OPM) reportedly sent an email with the subject line “What did you do last week?” The message instructed federal workers to submit a summary of their weekly accomplishments by Monday, 11:59 PM. However, it did not explicitly mention job termination as a consequence of non-compliance.
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the largest federal employee union, has strongly opposed the move. National President Everett Kelley condemned Musk and the Trump administration, stating that the directive reflects disdain for federal employees.
“It is cruel and disrespectful to hundreds of thousands of veterans serving in civil service to be forced to justify their job duties to an out-of-touch billionaire,” Kelley remarked.
Several federal agencies have advised their employees not to respond until further instructions are issued.
Trump Backs Musk’s Cost-Cutting Measures
Earlier, Trump praised Musk’s efforts to reduce government expenses, stating that he was doing a “great job” but should be “more aggressive.”
Trump recently appointed Musk to lead the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), tasked with cutting federal spending and tackling corruption. As part of this initiative, the US Defense Department is set to reduce its civilian workforce by 5% starting next week.
Despite opposition, a court ruling on Thursday refused to halt the mass firings, granting Musk’s initiative further legal ground.
Musk and Trump Dismiss Conflict of Interest Concerns
Elon Musk, whose companies—including SpaceX, Tesla, and Neuralink—have significant government contracts, dismissed concerns of conflicts of interest in his new advisory role.
Trump defended Musk, stating at a conservative activists’ meeting, “Elon is doing a great job… We love Elon, don’t we? People ask what official position he holds. I say, ‘Patriot’.”
Musk has assured transparency in DOGE’s operations, stating that all actions will be publicized on its website to ensure accountability.
