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Government employees faced deep uncertainty on Monday after receiving conflicting messages about a directive backed by Elon Musk. Workers were told to submit a list of their tasks from the previous week or risk termination. But just two days later, the office that issued the demand clarified that responses were voluntary. This left federal agencies scrambling to decide how to proceed.

Trump and Musk Insist on Compliance

As federal agencies tried to interpret the order, President Donald Trump reinforced the demand. He warned that workers who failed to respond would be fired or “semi-fired.” That evening, Musk doubled down on the ultimatum, giving employees one last chance to submit their work reports.

On Saturday, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) instructed federal workers to send five examples of work they had done the previous week. The agency specified that classified information should not be included. Employees were given until Monday evening to comply.

Musk, who leads the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), warned that failure to respond would be considered a resignation. His strict stance drew strong reactions. Labor unions and advocacy groups quickly filed a lawsuit in California to block the order.

Federal Agencies Respond with Mixed Messages

Despite the deadline, key federal agencies—including the Departments of Defense, Health and Human Services (HHS), Justice, and the FBI—advised employees to ignore the directive. This sent mixed signals to workers.

The confusion deepened when agencies led by Trump appointees issued contradictory instructions. Some told employees that compliance was mandatory, while others said it was optional. Many workers were left unsure about their job security.

“They’re making us crazy,” said one HHS employee, who spoke anonymously due to fear of retaliation. “We don’t know who to listen to. One message says to submit the report, the next says to ignore it.”

By Monday afternoon, OPM held a meeting with human resources leaders across federal agencies. The agency confirmed that each department could decide how to handle the directive. However, this did little to clear up the uncertainty.

Trump and Musk Defend the Order

Despite resistance from agencies and legal challenges, President Trump praised the demand. He described it as a “genius” move.

“We’re trying to confirm if people are actually working,” Trump said. “If they don’t respond, maybe they don’t exist.”

He added, “If they don’t answer, they’re either semi-fired or fired. Many aren’t answering because they don’t even exist.”

Musk also stood by the directive. He insisted that he was acting on the President’s orders.

“At the President’s discretion, non-responders will get one more chance,” Musk posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. “Failure to respond again will lead to termination.”

He also criticized employees who did not comply.

“The request was incredibly simple—just type a few words and hit send! Yet, many failed even this basic test,” Musk wrote. “Managers encouraged defiance. Have you ever seen such incompetence and disregard for taxpayers’ money?”

Legal and Political Fallout

The controversy quickly escalated as legal experts and politicians weighed in. Labor unions argued that the directive was an illegal attempt to purge federal workers. Some lawmakers accused the Trump administration of using the order to remove employees who were seen as disloyal.

“This is a political loyalty test disguised as a work request,” said one Democratic senator. “They want to fire people who don’t fall in line.”

On the other hand, Trump allies defended the move. They argued that it was a necessary step to increase accountability in government.

“We have too many people collecting paychecks for doing nothing,” one White House official stated. “This is about making sure taxpayers get their money’s worth.”

Uncertain Future for Federal Workers

As the deadline passed on Monday evening, federal employees remained in limbo. Some had submitted their reports, fearing they would lose their jobs. Others followed their agencies’ guidance and ignored the request.

Meanwhile, the White House maintained that the administration was acting in unison.

“Everyone is working together under President Trump’s leadership,” said Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. She did not address why federal agencies had issued conflicting instructions.

With lawsuits now in progress and agencies taking different approaches, the fate of thousands of government workers remains unclear. The next steps will likely depend on court rulings and how aggressively the administration enforces the order.

For ongoing updates on this issue, visit Financial Mirror.