Today's News: Federal Workers Face Confusion Over Elon Musk’s Work Accountability Email
A directive from Elon Musk required federal employees to detail their work was met with widespread confusion and conflicting instructions from agencies, unions, and administration officials.
Photo: Eric Lee/The New York Times
Overview
Date: February 24-25, 2025
Topic: Federal Workers Face Confusion and Fallout Over Elon Musk’s Work Accountability Email
Summary: A directive from Elon Musk, acting under the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), required federal employees to submit five bullet points detailing their work from the past week. The request, sent through the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), was met with widespread confusion and conflicting instructions from agencies, unions, and administration officials. Some agencies required compliance, while others rejected or delayed responses. Trump called the initiative “ingenious,” while Musk insisted failure to respond would be considered resignation. The move has sparked internal disputes, union protests, and political backlash, with lawmakers from both parties raising concerns over its implementation and impact on the federal workforce.
Sources
CNN: ‘It’s bedlam’: Federal workers left in limbo as clock ticks down to Musk’s email deadline
Fox News: Deadline for Musk's ultimatum to federal workers hits, but consequences remain vague
NBC News: Live updates: Trump faces blowback over DOGE cuts; Russia disputes Trump's Ukraine claim
The Washington Post: Some GOP lawmakers start to call out DOGE — carefully
The Wall Street Journal: What to Know About Elon Musk’s ‘What Did You Do Last Week?’ Email
Key Points
Musk’s email request asked federal employees to submit five bullet points summarizing their work for the past week.
The Trump administration provided inconsistent messaging, with Trump calling the email a mandatory test and OPM later saying responses were voluntary.
Different agencies responded in varied ways—some required compliance, others refused or delayed responses.
Unions and watchdogs criticized the directive as unlawful and disruptive.
Some Republicans expressed concerns over the initiative’s speed and lack of compassion for workers.
Unique Highlights
The New York Times reported that Musk’s DOGE department removed key cost-saving claims from its public website after inaccuracies were exposed.
CNN detailed chaotic scenes within agencies, where workers spent hours in emergency meetings trying to interpret shifting guidance.
NBC News highlighted union protests and stories of fired employees, including a pregnant worker who lost her health insurance.
Fox News framed Musk’s request as a reasonable efficiency measure, suggesting workers who accomplish more than five tasks per week should have no concerns.
Contrasting Details
Fox News emphasized that Musk’s request was a simple accountability measure, while NBC News and CNN portrayed it as chaotic and cruel.
The Washington Post noted growing Republican dissent, while The Wall Street Journal focused on Trump allies supporting Musk’s efforts.
The New York Times revealed that DOGE had manipulated financial data, whereas other sources focused more on the email controversy.
The Newsie Project is an experiment using AI tools to survey contemporary reporting. It attempts to summarize, compare, and contrast the reporting of the major US online news sources.
This is an evolving project. Tools, approaches, and output formats will change over time. The Newsie Project does not attempt to provide a definitive capsule of any news story. While the incidence of errors in these summaries is low, and I attempt to spot-check details, AI tools can hallucinate. Please click through and read the articles for details (some may be paywalled).