Trump Rallies Behind Musk Amid Controversial Demands and Threats to Federal Workforce

President Trump recently backed Elon Musk’s bold move, asking federal employees to report on their recent work achievements. He said anyone who doesn’t respond might find themselves “semi-fired” or outright fired. Trump noted that Musk aims to ensure that everyone is actually being productive.

The president claimed Musk’s newly formed Department of Government Efficiency has uncovered “hundreds of billions of dollars in fraud.” However, Trump didn’t provide any evidence to support these statements. “If people don’t respond, it’s very possible that there is no such person, or they aren’t working,” he added.

In response, various unions, businesses, and organizations filed a lawsuit in a California federal court, arguing that Musk’s request breaks the law. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) had instructed employees to summarize five accomplishments from the previous week by Monday evening.

The lawsuit described the potential mass firings as one of the most significant examples of employment fraud in U.S. history.

The White House responded to the lawsuit, criticizing it as a waste of taxpayer resources. Anna Kelly, a deputy press secretary, pointed out that employees could have easily summarized their work instead of filing a lawsuit.

Musk is leading efforts to make the federal government leaner and more efficient, which has already led to layoffs and resignations among federal workers. However, there seems to be some pushback against Musk’s demands. Some officials have told their employees not to comply with his directive, marking the first major disagreement between Musk and other cabinet leaders who usually support him.

Despite this, Trump dismissed any notion of a rift, suggesting that the idea was well-received. The OPM has not commented, but Musk has continued to warn federal employees about potential layoffs for those who don’t follow through on his request.

Over the weekend, Trump took to social media to express his approval of Musk’s approach, encouraging him to be even more aggressive. Following this, Musk announced that federal employees would receive emails asking for a record of their work from last week, warning that failing to respond would be treated as a resignation.

The OPM quickly followed up with its own email asking employees for their achievements, setting a deadline for responses. Meanwhile, several major U.S. agencies, including the FBI and Homeland Security, advised their employees not to reply. Lawmakers across the political spectrum suggest that Musk’s demands may be illegal.

Some departments, like Justice, instructed their employees to disregard Musk’s request due to the sensitive nature of their work. However, some employees at a U.S. attorney’s office were told to submit general summaries of their activities.

Such turmoil has left many government employees feeling uncertain. Emails from leadership in various departments indicated confusion over the request. For instance, the Department of Health and Human Services temporarily halted any activities related to Musk’s directive after leadership reassured employees regarding the legitimacy of their work.

Trump’s second term has already seen thousands of government workers leaving their jobs, with no clear figures available on the total number affected. Musk’s recent comments underscore a belief that many federal employees are not meeting their responsibilities, raising concerns about efficiency.

He hasn’t provided any proof of fraud, despite claims that some individuals are collecting paychecks under false identities, including the identities of deceased persons. With so many employees preparing to exit the workforce soon, the impact of Musk’s efficiency push remains to be seen.

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