The Billionaire’s Newest Ultimatum
If you thought Elon Musk had run out of ways to shake things up, think again. In a move straight out of his Twitter (sorry, X) playbook, Musk has declared that every federal employee must explain what they did last week—or consider themselves unemployed.
“Consistent with President @realDonaldTrump’s instructions, all federal employees will shortly receive an email requesting to understand what they got done last week,” Musk announced on Saturday. Then came the kicker: “Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation.”
Federal workers, many of whom have spent decades in service to the country, woke up to an inbox surprise from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). The message? Provide a five-bullet-point summary of your accomplishments—by Monday midnight—or else. Oh, and don’t include classified information (which is reassuring, considering the chaos).
Musk’s Playbook: Twitter Redux
If this sounds familiar, that’s because it is. When Musk took over Twitter, he issued a similar demand, forcing employees to prove their worth or hit the exit. The result? Mass resignations and a gutted workforce. Now, he’s using the same tactics on the federal government.
It’s all part of Musk’s larger role as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—yes, it’s actually called that—where his mission is to cut bureaucracy and, apparently, see just how far he can push federal workers before they snap.
The Fallout Begins
The backlash was immediate. Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, minced no words:
“Once again, Elon Musk and the Trump administration have shown their utter disdain for federal employees and the critical services they provide to the American people.”
Then he got personal: “It is cruel and disrespectful to hundreds of thousands of veterans who are wearing their second uniform in the civil service to be forced to justify their job duties to this out-of-touch, privileged, unelected billionaire who has never performed one single hour of honest public service in his life.”
Tell us how you really feel, Everett.
Trump’s Take: ‘More Aggression, Please’
Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump is cheering Musk on, but with one caveat—he thinks Musk isn’t going hard enough.
“DOING A GREAT JOB, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE HIM GET MORE AGGRESSIVE,” Trump posted, in all caps, as usual.
And just like that, the administration has doubled down. In addition to Musk’s ultimatum, the White House has announced layoffs and job cuts, with 5,400 probationary workers set to be let go next week.
The Bigger Picture: What Happens Now?
Beyond the political theater, the real concern is what happens to the essential services these employees provide. Government agencies are already stretched thin. Cutting jobs—especially in security and defense—could have serious consequences.
Musk’s vision of a leaner, meaner federal workforce might sound appealing to some, but gutting departments overnight comes with risks. And while Trump and Musk see this as efficiency, others see it as reckless experimentation at the expense of ordinary Americans.
One thing is certain: this isn’t over.
Stay tuned.
