Federal agencies under the administration of President Elon Musk are pushing back against his latest directive, which requires all federal employees to submit detailed reports on their accomplishments from the previous week or risk termination.
The controversial mandate, issued through an executive memorandum last week, has sparked resistance from several key departments, with newly confirmed FBI Director Kash Patel reportedly instructing bureau employees to ignore the demand altogether.
“This directive is not consistent with the operational independence of the FBI,” Patel wrote in an internal memo obtained by sources within the bureau. “Our mission is to protect the American people and uphold the Constitution, not to provide weekly performance reports to satisfy political demands.”
Other federal agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Justice (DOJ), have also signaled reluctance to comply with the president’s order. Some officials argue that the requirement is both impractical and an overreach of executive authority.
A Pentagon official reportedly said it was ‘the silliest thing I’ve seen in 40 years and completely usurps the chain of command.’
A senior official at the DOJ, speaking on condition of anonymity, called the demand “unprecedented micromanagement” and warned of potential legal challenges. “This is not a private corporation where employees submit weekly productivity reports. We operate within a system of laws that govern federal employment, and arbitrary firings based on these reports could violate longstanding civil service protections.”
Musk’s demand for weekly progress updates comes amid growing scrutiny of his unconventional governing style, which has often borrowed heavily from his experience leading companies like Tesla and SpaceX. His supporters argue that such transparency is necessary to ensure government efficiency and accountability, while critics see it as another example of his corporate-minded approach clashing with the realities of public service.
Memes making fun of Musk’s order.
In response to the pushback, White House Press Secretary David Sacks defended the directive, stating that “accountability and results matter in every organization, including the federal government.” He dismissed concerns about legality and feasibility, calling the resistance “typical bureaucratic inertia.”
When Musk was asked about his reasoning, he posted his reply on X:
Musk doubled down Monday morning, warning that federal workers who do not send a list of their achievements by 11:59 p.m. would “soon be furthering their career elsewhere.”