Trump Backs Musk’s Federal Workforce Crackdown Amid Legal Challenges/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ President Donald Trump has endorsed Elon Musk’s demand that federal employees list their weekly accomplishments or risk termination, causing widespread confusion and legal backlash. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) clarified that compliance is voluntary, but Musk continued threatening firings. Unions and watchdogs sued, calling the move an unprecedented assault on the federal workforce.
Federal Workforce Crackdown: Quick Looks
- Trump backs Musk’s demand for federal workers to submit weekly accomplishments
- Conflicting directives leave employees unsure whether compliance is mandatory
- Lawsuit filed claiming Musk’s order is illegal and endangers federal workers’ rights
- OPM clarifies compliance is voluntary, but Musk threatens second-round firings
- Agencies split: Some tell employees to respond vaguely, others urge no response
- Thousands already laid off amid Trump’s push for a leaner federal workforce
- Security concerns raised as sensitive departments resist the reporting order
Trump Backs Musk’s Federal Workforce Crackdown Amid Legal Challenges
Deep Look
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Monday reaffirmed his support for Elon Musk’s sweeping accountability drive targeting federal employees, despite mounting lawsuits, internal pushback, and mass confusion across government agencies.
“What he’s doing is saying, ‘Are you actually working?’” Trump said at the White House during a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron. “If you don’t answer, you’re semi-fired or fired.”
Trump claimed Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency has uncovered “hundreds of billions of dollars in fraud,” alleging that federal paychecks are going to “nonexistent employees”—though he offered no evidence.
Confusion and Contradictions in Federal Agencies
The turmoil stems from an email sent to hundreds of thousands of federal employees Saturday, demanding five bullet points summarizing their weekly accomplishments by Monday at 11:59 p.m. EST. Musk warned that failure to respond would be considered a resignation.
However, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) told agency leaders that compliance was not mandatory, creating a patchwork of conflicting instructions:
- Justice Department: Employees exempt due to sensitive work
- State Department & Pentagon: Directed employees not to respond
- Education Department: Ordered workers to comply and submit reports
- Health and Human Services: Said responses were optional but urged caution in wording
“Assume that what you write will be read by foreign adversaries,” HHS advised staff.
Musk Dismisses Resistance, Threatens Firings
Musk called the pushback an example of federal employees “hating even the tiniest amount of accountability.” Hours after OPM’s clarification, he doubled down:
“Failure to respond a second time will result in termination,” Musk posted on X.
Legal Battle Escalates
A coalition of unions, veterans groups, and nonprofit organizations filed suit in California federal court, calling the mass accountability push “one of the most massive employment frauds in U.S. history.”
“This is illegal and unprecedented,” said a lawyer representing the plaintiffs.
The Office of Special Counsel, which monitors federal workplace ethics, has flagged probationary employee firings as potentially illegal. The agency’s head, Hampton Dellinger, is facing removal by Trump in a case before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Agencies Grapple with Compliance
The situation has left federal employees scrambling for guidance:
- U.S. Attorneys in D.C.: Told to respond with “general terms” but omit case details
- Education Department: Urged full compliance with supervisors reviewing responses
- OPM Acting Director Charles Ezell: Suggested weekly reporting may become permanent
Thousands Already Out of Work
In Trump’s first month back in office:
- Hundreds of thousands of federal employees have been fired or offered resignations
- Agencies have faced partial shutdowns as Musk’s team reviews staffing levels
- Protests have erupted in Washington, with growing discontent nationwide
“While employees spent time filing lawsuits, they could have submitted their work reports 100 times over,” said Anna Kelly, White House deputy press secretary.
Looking Ahead
Musk and Trump show no signs of backing down. Trump, brushing off concerns from within his administration, called Musk’s approach “ingenious.” Musk’s department plans to issue second-round termination notices for non-responders later this week.
The fallout could reshape the federal workforce and test legal boundaries surrounding employee rights and executive authority.
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