In the White House’s East Room one Saturday night, tensions were rising. FBI Director Kash Patel and National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard had stepped aside during a dinner for governors. Just hours earlier, Elon Musk had sent waves through the federal government with a troubling email. He threatened to fire workers who didn’t report their weekly activities.
Patel and Gabbard knew obeying Musk’s order could compromise national security. Although they supported Musk’s aim to shrink the federal workforce, they agreed that compliance was not an option—it could also anger the President.
Behind the scenes, others in government were also on edge. Gabbard talked with CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and officials from various departments held urgent discussions. Employees were anxious, worried about their job security amidst the chaos.
Cabinet secretaries scrambled to answer Musk’s demands without putting their teams at risk. Many called the White House for guidance throughout the weekend. For some, the pressure to appease Musk clashed with their responsibilities.
Patel was the first to publicly challenge Musk’s directive, stating that the FBI would manage its review processes according to its own standards. In a video conference, he reassured agents that he supported them by resisting Musk’s demands.
Musk, empowered by Trump, had been making significant changes quickly, often ignoring the traditional methods of governmental oversight. Trump, however, claimed that all cabinet members were on board with Musk’s approach. To prove this, at a cabinet meeting, he asked everyone if they were satisfied with Musk’s initiatives. After a moment of silence, a few members began to applaud, albeit awkwardly.
Meanwhile, chaos continued in the agencies. At the Department of Veterans Affairs, staff set up computers for those without access to quickly comply with Musk’s email. At a military base, employees expressed their fears of job loss, especially one staff member with a child reliant on military healthcare. Despite reassurances from commanders that they should ignore Musk’s order, they felt compelled to respond.
Musk’s directives seemed to intimidate federal employees, leading many to feel vulnerable. He defended his actions publicly, calling himself just “a humble tech support.” In reality, his influence extended far beyond that, effectively dismantling agencies like USAID and causing turmoil among staff.
During a cabinet meeting, Musk insisted his actions were necessary to prevent national bankruptcy by cutting government spending. He claimed Trump had encouraged him to take aggressive actions, including threatening employees who didn’t respond to his requests.
After Musk’s initial announcement, confusion reigned. The Office of Personnel Management quickly clarified that participation in the reporting was voluntary—adding to the uncertainty. Various departments struggled with aligning with Musk’s demands while protecting their staff’s interests.
Some high-ranking officials openly resisted Musk’s approach. For instance, the Department of Health and Human Services advised their employees to hold off on responding. Similarly, the Department of Energy reiterated that they would handle performance reviews according to their established protocols. Yet, when it came time for the cabinet meeting, most stayed silent, choosing to support Musk rather than risk confrontation.
In the end, while many quietly dissenting officials grappled with the chaos caused by Musk’s demands, the public display of unity at the cabinet meeting cast a more harmonious image of the administration’s dynamics.
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Source linkTrump, Donald J,Musk, Elon,Internal Revenue Service,Layoffs and Job Reductions,Executive Orders and Memorandums,Treasury Department
