Musk’s Ultimatum: Federal Workers Given Second Chance to Justify Their Jobs
WASHINGTON: A message from Elon Musk asserting that federal employees will be given “a second chance” to respond to his ultimatum that they justify their jobs or risk termination is likely to spark another round of confusion across the US government today.
Musk’s warning on X, the social media site he owns, came after Trump administration officials told federal workers they did not have to respond to his weekend email asking them to summarise their accomplishments of the past week. Failure to reply would be considered a resignation, Musk had claimed.
Downsizing Initiative
Musk, the billionaire CEO of Tesla and SpaceX who has been tasked by President Donald Trump to lead a radical downsizing of the federal government, seemed undeterred. "Subject to the discretion of the president, they will be given another chance. Failure to respond a second time will result in termination," he wrote on X late yesterday.
New Fissures in Trump Administration
Musk’s email threat and the pushback he saw from federal agencies cracked open new fissures within Trump’s nascent administration and raised questions about the limits of Musk’s authority. Even after OPM’s guidance, which urged employees not to share classified or sensitive information in responding to Musk, some agency officials still nudged their employees to answer the email.
Government Response
The head of the small business administration, Kelly Loeffler, backed Musk’s email requirement in a Fox News interview today. "We just want to know: Are there people there doing their jobs? And again, the bar is so low it’s laughable," Loeffler said. "I look forward to making sure that we get all the responses back, and for those that we don’t, we’ll have decisions to make."
Impact on the Wider Economy
Musk’s slash-and-burn approach has rippled into the wider US economy as well, forcing companies that do business with the government to lay off workers and defer payments to vendors. Since taking office on January 20, Trump has frozen billions of dollars in foreign assistance and effectively dismantled the US agency for international development, which administers some 60% of US foreign assistance, stranding medicine and food in warehouses.
Conclusion
The standoff between Musk and federal agencies has raised concerns about the impact on the government’s ability to function effectively. As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how the administration will proceed and what the consequences will be for federal workers.
FAQs
Q: What is the purpose of the email?
A: The email is an ultimatum from Elon Musk, who has been tasked by President Donald Trump to lead a radical downsizing of the federal government. It requires federal workers to justify their jobs or risk termination.
Q: What is the deadline for responding to the email?
A: The original deadline was yesterday, but OPM has since extended it to give employees another chance to respond.
Q: How many workers have been laid off so far?
A: More than 20,000 workers have been laid off as part of the downsizing initiative.
Q: What is the current status of the lawsuit filed by labour unions?
A: The lawsuit has been updated to request that Musk’s threatening email be ruled illegal.