The Trump administration has broken with Elon Musk’s directive, declaring that federal workers’ response to his recent email is voluntary. This marks the first major clash between Musk’s demands and top officials in President Trump’s administration, reads an NYT post.
On Monday, just two days after Musk’s email, with the subject line “What did you do last week?”, was sent to millions of federal employees, personnel officials stated that the request was optional. This email had demanded that workers provide a summary of five activities from the previous week, sparking confusion across various federal agencies.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) reassured employees that no response was required and emphasized the lack of any consequences for non-compliance. It even advised those who chose to reply to be mindful of security risks.
Despite this, Trump publicly supported Musk’s position, praising his call for a more efficient government and insisting that workers who didn’t respond could face dismissal. Musk, on his social media platform, suggested that those who failed to comply by his original deadline would be given a second chance, warning that a failure to respond a second time could lead to termination.
The fallout from Musk’s directive caused tension within the administration, as department heads disagreed on whether to enforce the email’s request. While some agencies, such as the Department of Treasury and the General Services Administration, ordered employees to comply, others like the Department of State, Energy, and Defense directed their workers to ignore it.
The confusion raised concerns over security and the interference of an outsider in personnel decisions, particularly among national security and intelligence agencies. Senior officials from the CIA reportedly instructed employees to disregard the email quietly, fearing potential security breaches.
White House officials denied any division within the administration, asserting that all efforts were in line with Trump’s directives. However, the split among Trump’s cabinet members left federal employees uncertain about how to proceed. With the next cabinet meeting scheduled for Wednesday, tensions over Musk’s influence in the administration are expected to be addressed further.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
