Key Federal Agencies Push Back Against Musk’s Demands for Work Explanation: What It Means for the Future

On Sunday morning, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), led by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., sent a message to about 80,000 employees asking them to comply with a specific request. However, confusion arose when Sean Keveney, the acting general counsel, told some employees to hold off on that request. By Sunday evening, HHS leaders clarified that employees should “pause activities” related to the request until noon on Monday.

Keveney expressed his frustration in an email, highlighting the uncertainty and stress within the department. He explained that he had dedicated over 70 hours that week to advancing the agency’s priorities and felt insulted by the sudden email. He raised concerns about security, noting that some work could fall under attorney-client privilege, and emphasized that he had not received assurances of protection for responses to the email.

The situation sparked criticism from both Democrats and some Republicans. Senator John Curtis from Utah expressed his concerns during an interview, urging Elon Musk to show compassion. He reminded everyone that behind the decisions are real people with real lives and responsibilities like mortgages.

Kash Patel, the newly confirmed FBI Director and a supporter of Trump, advised FBI employees to ignore Musk’s request for the time being. He reassured them that the FBI would handle reviews according to their procedures and that no immediate responses were required.

Ed Martin, the interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, added to the confusion with his own email. He told his staff they should comply with the request from the Office of Personnel Management, whether that meant responding or not. Martin encouraged a good faith effort to reply and assured them he would support their decisions.

In contrast, officials at the Departments of State, Defense, and Homeland Security provided clearer instructions. Tibor Nagy, the acting undersecretary of State for management, assured employees that department leadership would respond on their behalf, stating that no one was required to report their activities outside their department. Similarly, Pentagon leaders advised employees to pause any responses to Musk’s team, while the Homeland Security Department also announced no immediate reporting was necessary, assuring staff that managers would handle the responses.