Just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump encouraged his billionaire advisor to “get more aggressive” in efforts to shrink the federal government, Elon Musk announced on Saturday that federal employees must document their work from the past week or risk losing their jobs.
In a post on X, Musk stated that employees would soon receive an email requesting details on “what they got done last week.” He warned that failing to respond “will be taken as a resignation.”
Earlier in the day, Trump praised Musk’s efforts in downsizing the federal government in a Truth Social post and urged him to take a stronger stance.
“Remember, we have a country to save, but ultimately, to make greater than before,” Trump wrote.
Musk seemed to respond by unveiling the new directive requiring federal workers to justify their roles. “Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation,” he reiterated.
However, it remains uncertain what legal authority, if any, Musk is using to enforce this measure.
Since taking charge of DOGE, Musk’s team has eliminated thousands of federal positions across multiple agencies, stirring controversy by attempting to access sensitive government data.