US government employees received an ultimatum this weekend: outline their accomplishments from the past week or face resignation. The directive, sent via email on Saturday, follows a post by billionaire Elon Musk, who warned that failing to respond would be considered a voluntary resignation.
Musk, leading the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) under the Trump administration, has been spearheading efforts to slash federal spending by reducing the workforce. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) confirmed the email’s authenticity, stating it was part of a broader push for accountability.
Federal employees were instructed to submit five bullet points detailing their achievements by Monday night, without including classified information. While the email did not explicitly mention resignation as a consequence of non-compliance, Musk later claimed a “large number of responses” had already been received, suggesting that those who responded could be considered for promotion.
The move has sparked backlash, with the American Federation of Government Employees condemning the demand as “cruel and disrespectful.” FBI Director Kash Patel instructed his employees to pause their responses, asserting that the FBI would conduct internal reviews on its own terms.
Trump has praised Musk’s aggressive downsizing approach, arguing that the federal workforce needs to be leaner and more efficient. In recent weeks, thousands of employees across agencies like the IRS, the Pentagon, and the FAA have been dismissed as part of this broader restructuring effort.
