The Trump administration is intensifying its drive to reduce the federal workforce, prompting concerns about the impact on essential government services.
A second wave of emails was recently sent, requiring federal employees to summarise their weekly work, after an initial attempt created confusion. These emails, confirmed by Reuters as originating from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), tasked employees with listing five accomplishments from the past week.
This renewed push is led by Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to assess employee performance as the administration contemplates layoffs to shrink the government.
“The President has made it clear that this is mandatory for the executive branch. Anyone working on classified or other sensitive matters is still required to respond if they receive the email, but can simply reply that their work is sensitive,” Musk stated on X.
A similar approach was attempted previously, but agencies like the State and Justice Departments initially resisted. The OPM subsequently clarified that responding to the emails was voluntary.
With President Trump’s backing, Musk advocates for these emails as a means of accountability, suggesting some federal employees may not exist. Critics, including politicians and trade unions, worry that cuts could undermine critical government functions.
While the latest emails omit threats of retaliation, responses are expected weekly. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has directed Pentagon employees to comply, but the State Department has advised its employees to hold off. The Department of Homeland Security instructed employees to respond to an internal email address labelled “accountability.”
“All federal government departments are cooperating with @DOGE. For State, DoD and a few others, the supervisors are gathering the weekly accomplishments on behalf of individual contributors,” Musk added.
Reuters confirmed the emails were also sent to employees at the IRS, NOAA, and NIH—agencies targeted for potential layoffs.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) plans to cut 7,000 jobs and close offices. According to NPR, the agency already struggles with long wait times.
The Trump administration also discontinued a tech team that helped develop the IRS’s free tax filing service. The GSA’s Director of Technology Transformation Services stated that the team—known as 18F—had been identified as “non-critical.”
Multiple lawsuits question Musk’s role and DOGE, alleging violations of the Constitution. While Trump reportedly supports the effort, Musk’s actions have caused unease among White House aides. The Trump administration has been evasive regarding his exact role within DOGE.
Furthermore, the General Services Administration plans to eliminate between 30 to 40 roles, with notifications expected to be issued by week’s end. Additionally, the U.S Agency for Development informed its personnel that approximately 2,000 employees in the U.S. would be laid off.