WASHINGTON: Billionaire entrepreneur and close adviser to former U.S. President Donald Trump, Elon Musk, has issued a stern directive to federal employees, demanding they report on their weekly work output or face termination.
Musk’s announcement comes just hours after Trump reiterated his push for aggressive cost-cutting measures in government spending.
“In line with President @realDonaldTrump’s directives, all federal employees will soon receive an email asking them to detail their accomplishments from the past week. Failure to respond will be considered a resignation,” Musk posted on X, the social media platform he owns.
Trump, who appointed Musk to lead the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has tasked him with eliminating unnecessary expenses, cutting waste, and tackling alleged bureaucratic inefficiencies.
While Musk did not specify the exact format or deadline for these work reports, his directive is expected to intensify scrutiny over the federal workforce.
Trump later praised Musk’s efforts, urging him to take even stronger measures. “Elon is doing a fantastic job, but I’d like to see him go further,” Trump stated on his Truth Social platform. “Remember, we have a country to save.”
Under Musk’s leadership, the government has already begun implementing significant workforce reductions. The Pentagon announced a 5% reduction in civilian staff starting next week, and probationary employees across various federal agencies have been dismissed as part of the ongoing restructuring.
However, Musk’s cost-cutting initiatives have faced legal challenges. A federal judge recently denied a union-backed request to temporarily halt thousands of planned layoffs.
Despite concerns over potential conflicts of interest due to Musk’s vast business empire—including government contracts through Tesla and SpaceX—both he and Trump have dismissed such worries.
“If there’s ever a conflict, he’ll stop it. And if he doesn’t, I will,” Trump assured during a Fox News interview, where he described Musk as “brilliant” and “a solid businessman.”
Musk, in response, defended his transparency, stating, “The possibility of me getting away with anything is zero. I’m under constant scrutiny.”
Meanwhile, Musk has also waded into foreign policy discussions, recently taking aim at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. His remarks, echoing Trump’s criticism of U.S. support for Ukraine, have sparked fresh debates about the tech mogul’s expanding influence in government affairs.
