Elon Musk Shakes Washington Again with New Email Demanding Federal Employees’ Weekly Results
Elon Musk has once again stirred Washington with a new email sent to federal employees on the evening of February 28, 2025, asking them to submit their work results for the week. The request has raised concerns about potential widespread layoffs and further monitoring of the administrative apparatus under the Trump administration, where Musk has been deeply involved.
The “What did you do this week?” email marks the second such request from Musk, following a previous email sent in late February. This time, however, the email was sent not only by the federal Office of Personnel Management (OPM) but also by each department’s direct supervisors. This adjustment is seen as a move to make it easier to discipline employees who fail to comply.
The new directive asks employees to respond with five bullet points summarizing their work accomplishments and to send the report to their direct manager. The deadline for submission is set for 11:59 p.m. ET on March 3, 2025. For those handling highly confidential work, they are instructed to write, “All my activities are sensitive information.”
This follow-up email comes after the initial “ultimatum” sent on February 22, which had mixed reactions. Many agencies had either instructed employees not to respond or provided conflicting instructions. Under the guidance of Musk, who heads the Office of Government Effectiveness (DOGE), non-compliance could result in termination.
At the first cabinet meeting of President Trump’s second term, Musk defended the move, stating that the requirement to report what employees accomplished each week was a way to assess whether federal workers were truly fulfilling their duties.
In addition to the emails requesting work reports, a memo from the White House outlined plans for significant layoffs. The Department of Education also informed employees that they would be offered $25,000 in severance pay ahead of the expected layoffs. This combination of increased oversight and potential job cuts has raised concerns about the future of federal employment and efficiency under the current administration.