Chaos In Washington: Federal Workers Scramble To Respond To Musk’s Email Ultimatum

Federal employees spent Monday in a state of confusion, scrambling to determine how—or even whether—to respond to an email directive from Elon Musk. The email, sent over the weekend, demanded that they outline their work from the past week or risk losing their jobs.

A day filled with conflicting and unclear guidance left many government workers uncertain about the correct course of action. Some agencies instructed their staff to comply, while others advised against it. Many employees were left waiting for further direction from their leadership well into the evening.

Trump Applauds Musk’s Move Before His Administration Backtracks

Speaking from the Oval Office on Monday afternoon, President Donald Trump called Musk’s email “ingenious,” stating that those who failed to respond were “semi-fired or fired.” However, just hours later, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) contradicted Trump, formally notifying agencies that responding was voluntary and that non-compliance would “not equate to a resignation.”

Despite OPM’s clarification, inconsistent messaging from various agencies kept workers in the dark, even as Musk’s midnight deadline loomed.

“Our chief said it was mandatory. Then OPM said it was voluntary. Then Trump made it mandatory again,” said a Department of Veterans Affairs employee. “No one knows who to listen to.”

Agencies Push Back, Others Comply

Several high-profile agencies—including the Justice Department, State Department, Pentagon, FBI, Department of Homeland Security, and Department of Energy—told their employees not to respond to Musk’s request. Meanwhile, the Commerce and Transportation departments instructed staff to comply, with Commerce directing employees to submit their work summaries to supervisors.

One of the most affected groups was the Federal Aviation Administration’s already overburdened air traffic controllers, who work grueling six-day weeks with ten-hour shifts. Their union, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, denounced Musk’s request as a “distraction” at a time when air safety concerns remain high.

NASA, in contrast, announced that it would respond on behalf of the agency, assuring employees that their jobs were safe even if they ignored the email.

Ironically, employees at OPM—the very agency that sent out the directive—didn’t receive clarity on their own response expectations until nearly 6 p.m. Monday.

Confusion and Disruption in Federal Offices

The turmoil began on Saturday when the mass email from OPM landed in inboxes nationwide. Many federal workers spent Monday in hastily arranged meetings, trying to interpret a flurry of emails and conflicting directives.

David J. Demas, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 3003, which represents 320 Federal Bureau of Prisons workers, said he fielded over 30 calls from members asking how to respond.

“Today was crazy. Some workers even came in on their day off just to send an email they didn’t understand,” Demas said. He noted that by 11 a.m., the Department of Justice had issued an email clarifying that employees didn’t need to respond, which he quickly relayed to his colleagues.

At other agencies, efforts to comply with Musk’s request created absurd scenarios. One government facility set up a computer room for employees without regular email access—including janitors—to submit their work summaries. A National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) worker admitted they had been unable to perform their actual duties due to the chaos.

Some agencies tried to mitigate the confusion by urging employees to keep responses vague. The Department of Health and Human Services warned staff that their responses could be seen by “malign foreign actors” and advised them to be as general as possible.

Sarcasm and Resistance Among Federal Workers

Many federal employees responded to the directive with frustration—and humor. At the IRS, one group drafted a mock response to Musk’s email, listing accomplishments such as “preventing employees from throwing equipment at the wall” and “minimizing fear, confusion, and anger caused by this nonsense…DURING TAX SEASON!”

Meanwhile, at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, a prank video of Trump kissing Musk’s toes appeared on internal monitors, captioned with “Long Live The Real King.” It was later replaced with a pro-Trump administration message.

At the Environmental Protection Agency, employees were ordered to comply but not to disclose sensitive information. One EPA worker criticized the mixed messaging: “Nobody has a spine. They think appeasing Musk will protect them from deeper budget cuts. It won’t.”

A State Department official acknowledged the conflict: “On one hand, employees want to highlight their important work. But on the other, they’re wary of responding from personal email accounts without knowing where the information is going.”

Trump and Musk Double Down

As the deadline approached, Trump escalated his rhetoric, suggesting that federal employees who didn’t respond might not be working at all.

“We have to find out where these people are. Who are they?” Trump asked during a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron. “If you don’t respond, we assume you’re not around—and you’re not getting paid anymore.”

Musk echoed this sentiment on X (formerly Twitter), stating Monday night: “Subject to the discretion of the President, they will be given another chance. Failure to respond a second time will result in termination.”

With federal workers still reeling from a day of uncertainty, one thing remains clear: the chaos in Washington is far from over.