Trump Backs Elon Musk Amid Federal Worker Backlash

 

Donald Trump has stepped in to defend Elon Musk as resistance grows within his administration over Musk’s controversial demand that federal employees justify their work via email or face termination.

The intervention comes amid internal disputes over Musk’s “Department of Government Efficiency” (Doge), which Trump authorized to cut waste and streamline the federal workforce. Some cabinet officials, however, have refused to comply with Musk’s orders, signaling early tensions in the administration.

Revolt Against Musk’s Orders

Newly confirmed officials, including FBI Director Kash Patel and National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard, instructed staff to ignore Musk’s directive to submit a summary of their work by Monday midnight. Other agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security and the Pentagon, also rejected the demand, citing concerns over classified information and operational security.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) later clarified that while employees should respond, agency heads could exempt certain personnel at their discretion. “It is agency leadership’s decision as to what actions are taken,” the OPM stated.

Despite the pushback, Musk is set to attend Trump’s first cabinet meeting to discuss Doge’s mission and progress in identifying “waste, fraud, and abuse” within the government.

Trump’s Support for Musk

Facing resistance from key departments, Trump publicly defended Musk’s efforts. Speaking alongside French President Emmanuel Macron at the White House, he praised the initiative:

“What he’s doing is saying: ‘Are you actually working?’ And then, if you don’t answer, like, you’re sort of semi-fired or you’re fired, because a lot of people aren’t answering because they don’t even exist,” Trump said.

On Tuesday, Trump added to the confusion, telling reporters that responding to Musk’s demand was “somewhat voluntary” but also suggesting that “if you don’t answer, I guess you get fired.”

Musk’s directive came after Trump urged Doge to “get more aggressive” in cutting inefficiencies.

Security and Legal Concerns

Intelligence agencies, including the FBI, CIA, and NSA, warned that requiring employees to document their work via email could compromise sensitive information. The Department of Justice also advised staff not to respond due to confidentiality concerns.

Meanwhile, at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), employees reportedly played AI-generated images mocking Trump and Musk, a sign of rising discontent within federal offices.

The growing unrest has also triggered legal challenges, with critics arguing that Musk’s directives overstep federal authority.

Musk Doubles Down

Despite the backlash, Musk remained defiant. He announced that employees who failed to respond would be given one more chance before facing termination. “Failure to respond a second time will result in termination,” he posted on Twitter/X.

Dismissing the resistance, he mocked the uproar over his email requirement: “Absurd that a 5 min email generates this level of concern! Something is deeply wrong.”

Union Pushback

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), representing about 800,000 federal workers, condemned Musk’s actions as a scare tactic designed to push employees to resign.

“If we took the time to comment on each and every ridiculous thing that Elon Musk tweets out, we’d never get any work done,” said Brittany Holder, an AFGE spokesperson. The union vowed to fight any unlawful terminations or retaliatory actions.

A High-Stakes Power Struggle

With Trump in full control of the government and powerful tech allies like Musk by his side, tensions between the administration and federal employees continue to escalate. As both policy and personnel shake-ups unfold, the broader implications for government operations and accountability remain uncertain.