Elon Musk Demands Federal Workers Justify Their Jobs — FBI's Kash Patel Tells Employees Not To Respond

Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) chief Elon Musk is demanding that federal employees justify their positions to him through email or lose their jobs.

What Happened: Musk declared that federal employees who do not comply with this directive will be considered to have resigned. He says the move aligns with President Donald Trump‘s instructions to eradicate federal waste and fraud.

Musk announced his directive in a Saturday afternoon post on X, stating, “Consistent with President @realDonaldTrump's instructions, 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.”

Consistent with President @realDonaldTrump's instructions, 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.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 22, 2025

In another post, Musk shared that a large number of responses have been received and and those people should be considered for promotion.

A large number of good responses have been received already. These are the people who should be considered for promotion. https://t.co/Rc8sGBLemU

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 23, 2025

According to a report by CNN, Musk’s message has stirred up controversy and apprehension among federal employees. Newly confirmed FBI Director Kash Patel advised bureau employees to hold off on responding to the email. He emphasized that the FBI would handle review processes according to its procedures and coordinate responses if further information is required.

"The FBI, through the Office of the Director, is in charge of all of our review processes, and will conduct reviews in accordance with FBI procedures. When and if further information is required, we will coordinate the responses. For now, please pause any responses," Patel said in an email to bureau employees.

Also Read: From Tech to Politics: How Elon Musk Is Empowering Far Right Across the Globe

Similarly, the National Security Agency employees were instructed to wait for further guidance from the Department of Defense before responding. Secret Service Director Sean Curran advised staff to comply with the email, noting the agency’s resources available for employees during uncertain times.

The email ultimatum has been heavily criticized by unions representing federal workers. Everett Kelley, the national president of the American Federation of Government Employees, criticized Musk’s ultimatum, stating it mirrors the Trump administration's disregard for federal employees and their crucial services to the American public.

Doreen Greenwald, President of the National Treasury Employees Union, labeled the email as "completely unAmerican."

Why It Matters: President Trump has appointed Musk to revamp the federal government with his Department of Government Efficiency. However, the legality of this latest move remains uncertain.

This directive is the latest in a series of moves by Musk and DOGE to streamline the federal workforce and eliminate inefficiencies.

The approach mirrors Musk’s previous actions at Tesla and X, where he implemented significant staffing cuts to improve efficiency. The impact of this directive on the federal workforce and its efficiency will be closely watched in the coming weeks.

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