President Donald Trump and Elon Musk ignited nationwide confusion this week with email termination threats targeting federal employees who failed to document their work activities. The controversy deepened during Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting when Trump speculated about phantom workers:
Maybe we’re paying people that don’t exist. Those people are on the bubble...they’re going to be gone.
The turmoil began when Musk announced via X that 1 million government employees risked termination for ignoring a What did you do last week?survey from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Key developments include:
- Saturday: Musk’s initial termination ultimatum via social media
- Monday: OPM clarifies responses aren’t mandatory
- Tuesday: Agencies reverse compliance instructions multiple times
OPM’s contradictory guidance left workers uncertain whether to comply, particularly in security-sensitive roles. The American Federation of Government Employees condemned the move as unlawful overreach and vowed litigation.
Musk defended the tactic during Wednesday’s briefing:
When I bought Twitter, weekly productivity reports exposed redundant roles. This purge follows the same playbook.
White House officials initially appeared blindsided by the initiative, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt vaguely citing efforts to ensure accountability.Legal experts question whether Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency holds authority to terminate staff over email compliance.
As the federal workforce crisis escalates, observers note striking parallels to Musk’s corporate layoffs at X/Twitter. With another email round imminent and no clear resolution, thousands of careers hang in bureaucratic limbo.