The Trump administration has diverged from Elon Musk’s directive, making responses to his recent email voluntary for federal workers, causing tension among top officials.
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| Tension between the Trump administration and Elon Musk grows as federal workers are told email response is voluntary despite Musk’s insistence on compliance. Image: ChicHue |
Washington, USA — February 25, 2025:
The Trump administration has pushed back against Elon Musk’s recent directive, declaring that responding to his email is voluntary for federal workers. This break with Musk’s call for accountability has created significant tension within the ranks of the administration, reads an NYT report.
The email, which was sent to millions of federal employees on Saturday, asked them to provide a brief summary of five tasks they performed the previous week. Musk’s demand was intended to encourage greater efficiency and transparency within the federal bureaucracy, but it quickly caused confusion and division.
Just 48 hours after the email’s distribution, top officials in the Trump administration issued clarifications, with many agencies, including the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), telling employees that no response was required. HHS officials went so far as to state that failure to respond would not result in any disciplinary action.
Despite this, President Trump expressed support for Musk’s approach, praising it as “genius” and suggesting that employees who failed to respond would face consequences, including possible termination. Musk echoed this sentiment, warning that federal workers who didn’t comply would be given a second chance but would ultimately face consequences if they failed again.
The response from federal agencies was mixed. Some, such as the Department of Treasury and the General Services Administration, instructed employees to comply with Musk’s request. Meanwhile, others like the Departments of State, Energy, and Defense directed employees to ignore the directive, citing concerns over security and the intrusion of an external figure into personnel decisions.
The debate highlights growing divisions within the Trump administration, as some officials view Musk’s push for a smaller, more efficient government as beneficial, while others worry it could undermine internal operations and security protocols.
As federal employees remain uncertain about how to proceed, the administration faces its first real test of whether Musk’s influence can reshape the government as envisioned by the president.