US President Donald Trump supports Elon Musk’s demand that federal workers explain what they’ve accomplished recently—or risk being fired. This move has caused legal challenges and upset government employees.
During a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, Trump defended Musk’s decision, saying, “He’s just asking if they are actually working.” He suggested that many employees might not exist and claimed, without evidence, that billions of dollars were being wasted on fake workers.
A group of lawyers representing unions, businesses, veterans, and environmental organisations filed a lawsuit against Musk’s demand. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM), which handles federal employment matters, told workers they had until Monday night to list five things they did last week.
The lawsuit argues that Musk’s plan is illegal and could lead to one of the biggest employment scams in U.S. history. The White House dismissed the lawsuit, saying employees could have easily reported their work instead of suing.
Government Workers Push Back
Musk is leading Trump’s efforts to shrink the federal government. His approach has already led to resignations, layoffs, and paused operations at some agencies. However, some government leaders are pushing back.
Many agencies, including the FBI, State Department, and Pentagon, told employees not to respond to Musk’s demand, calling it possibly illegal.
Some agencies, like the Justice Department, told employees to ignore the request because of the sensitive nature of their work. Others, such as the Department of Health and Human Services, initially told workers to respond but later changed their instructions.
Musk stands firm
Despite the confusion, Musk insisted that employees who ignored the request would be fired. He posted on X (formerly Twitter), “Those who do not take this email seriously will soon be furthering their career elsewhere.”
Trump and Musk also falsely claimed that millions of dead people over 100 years old were still receiving Social Security checks. They did not provide evidence for this claim.
More layoffs expected
Thousands of government workers have already lost their jobs or resigned since Trump’s second term began. Reports suggest hundreds of thousands more could be affected, many outside Washington, D.C.
Musk defended his actions, saying the request was simply a “pulse check” to see if workers were doing their jobs. However, critics argue that his plan is causing confusion and unnecessary job losses.Meanwhile, more employees—especially those in probationary roles—are expected to be fired in the coming weeks as Musk and Trump continue their efforts to downsize the government.
