Elon Musk Tells Government Employees to List 5 Things They Did Last Week or Be Fired to See Who Has ‘Two Working Neurons’

Elon Musk’s Unconventional Ultimatum to Federal Workers Sparks Controversy

Elon Musk, the enigmatic tech entrepreneur and senior adviser to President Donald Trump, has once again stirred up a storm with his latest directive to federal government employees. In a surprising move on Saturday, Feb. 22, Musk took to social media platform X to announce that all federal workers would be required to share a list of five tasks they accomplished in the previous week. The ultimatum was clear – failure to comply would be interpreted as a resignation.

The announcement, which Musk attributed to President Trump’s instructions, was met with a mix of confusion and apprehension among thousands of federal employees. According to reports, an email was swiftly circulated to all government workers, titled “What did you do last week?”, requesting a brief summary of their weekly achievements to be sent to their respective managers by a specified deadline.

While Musk’s initial post suggested that non-compliance would result in job termination, the email itself did not explicitly mention such consequences. This led to speculation and debate over the extent of Musk’s authority to make such demands of federal employees. Critics questioned the validity of the directive and whether it was within Musk’s jurisdiction to impose such measures on government workers.

Despite the ambiguity surrounding Musk’s ultimatum, the directive spread across various federal departments and agencies, prompting a range of responses from different quarters. Some agency heads advised their employees to disregard the request, citing internal review processes and confidentiality concerns. The FBI, under the direction of FBI Director Kash Patel, explicitly instructed its staff to refrain from responding to the email pending further guidance.

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard echoed similar sentiments, emphasising the sensitive nature of intelligence work and advising intelligence community employees not to engage with the request. The Department of Defense also issued a public directive urging employees to withhold their responses to the email, highlighting the need for caution and deliberation in light of the unfolding situation.

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) condemned the move by Trump and Musk, characterising it as a display of contempt towards federal employees and their vital contributions to public service. Everett Kelley, the union president, lambasted the ultimatum as unjust and disrespectful, vowing to challenge any unlawful terminations of federal workers resulting from non-compliance with Musk’s directive.

In the midst of the escalating tensions, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) confirmed the existence of the email and suggested that agencies would determine the next steps in response to the directive. The unfolding situation has sparked a wave of reactions and raised questions about the boundaries of executive authority and the rights of government employees in fulfilling their duties.

As the controversy surrounding Elon Musk’s unusual ultimatum continues to unfold, the implications for federal workers and the broader implications for governance and accountability remain at the forefront of public discourse. The clash between executive directives, bureaucratic protocols, and individual rights underscores the complexities of modern governance and the challenges of balancing accountability with respect for due process.