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More than one million federal employees have responded to a controversial work accountability email requesting details of their job activities, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt confirmed on Tuesday. The initiative, introduced as part of the Trump administration’s government downsizing efforts, has drawn mixed reactions from agencies and federal workers alike.
Elon Musk’s Role in Government Efficiency
The email, sent out last week by Elon Musk in his role overseeing the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), asked federal employees to list five tasks they had performed in the previous week. The move, according to the administration, is aimed at ensuring transparency and improving productivity within the federal workforce. “I actually participated in it myself. It took me about a minute and a half to think of five things I did last week,” Leavitt told reporters during a White House briefing.
Compliance Rate Below 50%
Despite the high number of responses, the compliance rate remains below 50% of the nation’s 2.3 million federal workforce. Leavitt emphasized the importance of participation, stating, “All federal workers should be working at the same pace that President Trump is working and moving. We have a country to save.”
However, several key government agencies, including the Justice Department, the FBI, and the Pentagon, have reportedly instructed their employees to disregard the request. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) later intervened, advising agencies to handle the matter internally and determine their own response policies.
Consequences for Non-Compliance
Musk, in a follow-up announcement on Monday, indicated that employees who failed to respond would receive “another chance” but warned that repeated non-compliance could result in termination. “The agency heads will determine the best practices for their employees at their specific agencies,” Leavitt reiterated, stressing that department secretaries are responsible for handling workforce management, including potential disciplinary actions.
As the deadline for responses remains unclear, agency leaders are expected to decide their approach in the coming days. Meanwhile, the White House continues to push for greater federal efficiency, urging workers to respond to the accountability request unless explicitly directed otherwise by their respective agencies.
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