Background on the Inquiry

The Department of Defense (DOD) has issued guidance to its civilian workforce in response to a controversial productivity request made by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, who currently serves as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The conflict arises from Musk’s expectation that federal employees submit reports detailing their activities from the previous week.

DOD’s Official Response

In a letter directed to DOD personnel, Darin S. Selnick, the acting undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, clarified how employees should proceed regarding Musk’s demand, which was relayed through the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Selnick advised employees to refrain from responding to any email they may have received from OPM regarding their productivity.

“DoD personnel may have received an email from OPM requesting information. The Department of Defense is responsible for reviewing the performance of its personnel and will conduct any review in accordance with its own procedures,” Selnick stated. “For now, please pause any response to the OPM email titled, ‘What did you do last week.’”

Musk’s Productivity Mandate

On the same day, Musk, who has advised President Donald Trump, announced that federal employees would receive an email prompting them to detail their productivity for the week. Musk further stated that failing to respond to this request would be interpreted as a resignation from their position.

In a post on platform X, Musk said, “Consistent with President @realDonaldTrump’s instructions, all federal employees will shortly receive an email requesting to understand what they got done last week. Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation.”

Details of the Request

Musk later emphasized the simplicity of the task, suggesting that the report should not take more than five minutes to complete. The deadline was set for 11:59 p.m. on the following Monday. “To be clear, the bar is very low here. An email with some bullet points that make any sense at all is acceptable! Should take less than 5 mins to write,” Musk wrote.

OPM Confirms Musk’s Initiative

A spokesperson from OPM corroborated Musk’s plans, noting that the initiative aligns with the Trump Administration’s goal of fostering an efficient and accountable federal workforce. They stated, “As part of the Trump Administration’s commitment to an efficient and accountable federal workforce, OPM is asking employees to provide a brief summary of what they did last week by the end of Monday, CC’ing their manager. Agencies will determine any next steps.”

Interventions by Other Federal Agencies

The pushback against Musk’s order was not limited to the DOD. Kash Patel, recently confirmed as the new director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), also instructed his personnel to disregard the OPM email. Referring to the inquiry in a message to employees, Patel said, “The FBI, through the Office of the Director, is in charge of all of our review processes, and will conduct reviews in accordance with FBI procedures. When and if further information is required, we will coordinate the responses. For now, please pause any responses.”

Additionally, it was reported that the State Department issued a similar directive, informing employees that officials “will respond on behalf of the Department,” as conveyed in a message from Ambassador Tibor P. Nagy, who serves as acting under secretary of state for management.