Federal workers face chaos as Musk demands weekly reports, Trump backs mass firings, and agencies push back

Confusion and outrage erupted across the U.S. federal workforce as President Donald Trump backed Elon Musk’s demand that government employees justify their jobs or risk termination. Musk, leading Trump’s drive to downsize government, insisted that all federal staff submit a list of five accomplishments from the past week—or be fired.

Trump praised Musk’s move, claiming it would eliminate waste and expose fraud, though he offered no evidence. Meanwhile, federal agencies scrambled to respond, with some instructing employees not to comply over security concerns. The Office of Personnel Management later clarified that the request was not mandatory, but Musk doubled down, warning that a second failure to reply “will result in termination.”

The demand has sparked legal battles, with unions and advocacy groups suing the administration, calling the mass firing threats “one of the most massive employment frauds in U.S. history.” At the same time, the White House dismissed the backlash, arguing that private-sector employees routinely report their work.

Resistance is mounting across Washington, as key agencies—including the Justice Department, Homeland Security, and the Pentagon—have told employees not to respond. Even some of Trump’s closest allies, like FBI Director Kash Patel, have instructed staff to ignore Musk’s directive.

The turmoil is the latest sign of Musk’s growing influence in Trump’s administration, with thousands of federal workers already forced out through layoffs or “deferred resignations.” As legal challenges mount, government employees face an uncertain and chaotic future.