CNN
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In President Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s newest transfer concentrating on the federal workforce, workers started receiving emails Saturday afternoon asking them to elucidate what work they did final week, as Musk introduced that “failure to reply might be taken as a resignation.”
However a number of nationwide safety companies, together with the FBI, and a number of different federal departments suggested staffers not to reply to the e-mail instantly, suggesting the broader government department was not knowledgeable of nor ready for the demand.
The e-mail got here from the Workplace of Personnel Administration’s new HR email address however had no signature. The topic line reads: “What did you do final week?”
“Please reply to this electronic mail with approx. 5 bullets of what you completed final week and cc your supervisor. Please don’t ship any categorised info, hyperlinks, or attachments,” it continues.
CNN has obtained copies of emails despatched to federal workers in a number of companies. Many have been despatched with excessive significance or purple exclamation marks.
The e-mail blast got here on the heels of a social media publish by Musk threatening the roles of staff who don’t comply.
“In line with President @realDonaldTrump’s directions, all federal workers will shortly obtain an electronic mail requesting to know what they bought performed final week,” Musk posted Saturday on X, hours after Trump advised he be extra “aggressive.”
Nevertheless, the e-mail itself doesn’t state that failure to reply might be taken as resignation. It says the deadline for submission is Monday at 11:59 p.m. ET.
The e-mail despatched shockwaves by means of a federal workforce already reeling from an array of orders from the Trump administration, together with the latest termination of thousands of employees on probationary status, a deferred resignation offer that many considered as questionable and a requirement to return to the office full time, amongst others.
One president of a union chapter began getting texts from involved members “nonstop” following Musk’s publish and the OPM electronic mail.
“I don’t have any clue what on the planet that electronic mail means both,” the union official instructed CNN, noting they’re telling members to “simply stand by till I counsel in any other case.”
Musk can’t pressure federal workers to resign, and trying to take action would quantity to an involuntary termination, Michael Fallings, a federal employment legislation skilled and managing companion at Tully Rinckey, instructed CNN. If staff have been affected, they might file a declare difficult the motion.
“Musk’s remark lacks authorized authority,” Fallings mentioned, noting that demanding workers report on their work from final week is an “unreasonable and pointless request,” particularly coming over the weekend and containing an arbitrary deadline.
Staff ought to focus on the e-mail with their managers and, if relevant, their union officers earlier than responding, Fallings mentioned.
Musk posted a follow-up message on X on Saturday night, writing, “To be clear, the bar could be very low right here.”
“An electronic mail with some bullet factors that make any sense in any respect is suitable!” he posted. “Ought to take lower than 5 minutes to write down.”
Some companies have additionally suggested staff not but to reply to the e-mail — notably at companies the place a lot or all of workers’ duties could also be delicate.
FBI Director Kash Patel instructed bureau workers Saturday to not instantly reply to the OPM electronic mail.
In an electronic mail to bureau workers obtained by CNN, Patel mentioned, “The FBI, by means of the Workplace of the Director, is in command of all of our evaluate processes, and can conduct evaluations in accordance with FBI procedures. When and if additional info is required, we’ll coordinate the responses. For now, please pause any responses.”
Patel’s electronic mail got here after senior leaders at FBI’s New York discipline workplace and different divisions instructed their workers to not reply, an individual briefed on the matter mentioned.
Staff of a number of companies and providers below the Division of Protection, together with the Nationwide Safety Company, have been additionally notified Saturday that they need to maintain off on responding till they obtain additional steering from division management, a number of sources mentioned.
And Ed Martin, interim US attorney for the District of Columbia, despatched an electronic mail advising workers to “be normal” of their responses if vital and promising to guard them. “If anybody offers you issues, I’ve bought your again,” Martin wrote.
The State Division additionally instructed workers they didn’t have to reply to the e-mail.
“The State Division will reply on behalf of the Division. No worker is obligated to report their actions outdoors their Division chain of command,” learn an electronic mail despatched late Saturday from Tibor Nagy, the appearing undersecretary of administration.
The top of the US Secret Service, against this, instructed workers to adjust to the OPM electronic mail however famous the company has assets workers can make the most of “in occasions of uncertainty.”
In a message to the Secret Service workforce Saturday obtained by CNN, Director Sean Curran confirmed that an electronic mail workers beforehand obtained from OPM is authentic and “requires your response.” Curran additionally mentioned any worker who didn’t obtain the message from the federal authorities’s chief human assets company ought to proactively contact OPM to justify their work.
“I perceive this request might elevate questions,” Curran continued. “We’ve got assets which can be accessible to all Secret Service workers together with the Worker Help Program, Peer Help Program, and the Chaplain Program, that may present assist in occasions of uncertainty.”
The top of a prime union representing federal staff lambasted Musk’s ultimatum, telling CNN in an announcement that it displays the Trump administration’s “utter disdain for federal workers and the vital providers they supply to the American individuals.”
“It’s merciless and disrespectful to tons of of 1000’s of veterans who’re carrying their second uniform within the civil service to be compelled to justify their job duties to this out-of-touch, privileged, unelected billionaire who has by no means carried out one single hour of trustworthy public service in his life,” mentioned Everett Kelley, nationwide president of the American Federation of Authorities Staff, which represents greater than 800,000 federal staff.
Kelley mentioned his union plans to take authorized motion to “problem any illegal terminations of our members and federal workers.”
And Doreen Greenwald, president of the Nationwide Treasury Staff Union, referred to as the OPM electronic mail “utterly unAmerican.”
“This afternoon’s ‘What Did You Do Final Week?’ electronic mail to federal staff throughout the nation ought to be referred to as out as utterly unAmerican,” Greenwald mentioned in an announcement. “NTEU’s members are skilled civil servants and won’t again down to those blatant makes an attempt to assault a significant useful resource for the American public.”
One federal employee instructed CNN they discover the demand “insulting” and “completely mind-blowing,” particularly contemplating their exercise at work is already tracked.
“It’s callous and calculating and simply one other low-down tactic to eliminate workers they haven’t been capable of contact but,” the employee mentioned of Musk’s publish saying a nonresponse could be thought-about a resignation.
One other federal staffer instructed CNN they really feel compelled to answer.
“Personally, I’m afraid to not reply by the deadline primarily based on Elon’s tweets that nonresponse could be thought-about a resignation,” mentioned the employee, who famous that their mates at one other company “are on the fence on whether or not to reply with precise accomplishments or to reply with bullets of the oath we took to the Structure.”
Trump has tapped Musk to reshape the federal authorities together with his Division of Authorities Effectivity. However whether or not this newest transfer is authorized is unclear.
Reached for remark, an OPM spokesperson mentioned in an announcement that the transfer was aimed toward a “dedication to an environment friendly and accountable federal workforce.” Businesses, the spokesperson mentioned, “will decide any subsequent steps.”
Shortly after Musk’s publish Saturday, Trump referred to as the X proprietor a “patriot” and mentioned he was “doing an excellent job” throughout remarks on the Conservative Political Motion Convention.
Musk’s feedback Saturday adopted an earlier publish from Trump suggesting he’d wish to see the tech billionaire get extra aggressive.
“ELON IS DOING A GREAT JOB, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE HIM GET MORE AGGRESSIVE. REMEMBER, WE HAVE A COUNTRY TO SAVE, BUT ULTIMATELY, TO MAKE GREATER THAN EVER BEFORE. MAGA!” Trump’s post read. Musk replied, “Will do, Mr. President!” in his own post.
The emails come as Musk and Trump search to reshape the federal workforce — together with decreasing its measurement, changing profession staff with political appointees, wiping away some civil service protections, ending range efforts and extra.
This story has been up to date with new reporting.
CNN’s Betsy Klein, Jamie Gangel, Sean Lyngaas and Jennifer Hansler contributed to this report.
