U.S. federal government employees recently received an email from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) requesting them to outline their work accomplishments from the past week. This email has sparked widespread controversy and generated heated discussions on social media, raising questions about government oversight.
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02-26, 2025This email, announced by Donald Trump ally Elon Musk, was subsequently leaked by a large number of federal employees who shared screenshots on Musk's X platform (formerly Twitter). The email instructed approximately 2 million employees to "reply to this email with approximately 5 bullet points of what you accomplished this past week and cc your manager." Employees were given only 24 hours to respond and share details of their work from the previous week, causing concern about the efficiency of the process.
After the email flooded inboxes, multiple federal agencies quickly assured employees that they were not required to comply with the directive. Agencies including the Department of Defense, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Justice, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and the U.S. court system have all informed employees to disregard the email. The American Federation of Government Employees also sent an open letter to OPM, condemning the email as "patently illegal," signaling potential legal challenges.
Union President Everett B. Kelley stated, "I have received reports from many dedicated civil servants, including those who care for our veterans and protect our nation, expressing dismay at the tone and intent of the email. Rather than fostering professionalism and respect for their work, this hastily crafted email has left many feeling undervalued and intimidated." Kelley also referred to Musk as "unelected and unhinged" in an open letter posted on X, further escalating the conflict.
Musk swiftly countered critics on his platform, stating that the directive should take less than five minutes. He stated, "To be clear, the bar here is *extremely* low. An email with some meaningful bullet points is acceptable!" He added in another X post, "It is deeply concerning that parts of the government think this is too much." Musk claimed that federal employees must reply to the email providing proof of productivity, adding that "failure to reply will be deemed resignation," a statement that generated further anxiety among government workers.
Trump also praised Musk's attempt to audit the government on his Truth Social platform and encouraged him to be "even more aggressive." Trump wrote, "Remember, we have a country to save." Trump signed an executive order last week requiring agencies to work with Musk's-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) "to prepare for initiating a major downsizing," indicating a potential future reduction in the federal workforce.
However, the legality of a U.S. president's power to fire federal employees remains complex. Reuters reported that most employees in the U.S. public service can only be legally fired for poor performance or misconduct. If workers are terminated, there is also a process and right to appeal. In addition, Trump's OPM recently sent federal employees an email with the subject line "Crossroads," offering extended resignation opportunities. The White House stated that over 77,000 employees accepted the offer, cutting approximately 3% of the government workforce in a one-time reduction, highlighting ongoing efforts to streamline government operations.
