A conflict emerged between senior federal agency leaders and Elon Musk over his directive that all federal employees report their weekly accomplishments or face termination. The directive was sent via email from the Office of Personnel Management and sparked widespread confusion and resistance. Leaders at agencies like the Pentagon, FBI, and State Department instructed staff not to comply, citing internal procedures and concerns about bypassing established chains of command. Musk defended the initiative on social media, criticizing resistance as “troubling.” President Trump called the idea “ingenious,” threatening that non-respondents would be considered absent and unpaid.
