Hegseth orders Pentagon employees to respond to Musk’s latest ‘What you did last week’ email

Introduction: A New Era of Accountability in the Federal Workforce

In a move that has sparked both curiosity and controversy, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has instructed all civilian Pentagon employees to respond to an email from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). The email, which was initially met with resistance, asks employees to detail their accomplishments from the previous week. This directive is part of a broader effort to increase accountability and transparency within the federal workforce, a campaign that has been championed by Elon Musk, the billionaire CEO of DOGE, who has been pushing for greater efficiency and reduced spending in government operations.

The Directive: What Employees Are Being Asked to Do

Secretary Hegseth’s directive, issued on Monday, requires all civilian employees within the Department of Defense (DoD) to provide a brief summary of their weekly accomplishments. Specifically, employees are asked to submit five bullet points outlining what they achieved in their roles during the previous week. These summaries are to be sent to their immediate supervisors, who will then consolidate the information internally to comply with the OPM’s request.

Interestingly, this directive comes after an initial email sent on February 22, which was also spearheaded by Elon Musk, caused confusion and concern among federal employees. The first email, which simply asked, “What did you do last week?” was met with hesitation, as some employees worried that responding could inadvertently lead to the sharing of classified or sensitive information. In response, Pentagon officials initially advised employees not to reply, citing these concerns.

However, after a review of Pentagon procedures and consultations with the OPM, Secretary Hegseth reversed course, issuing a new directive that clarifies how employees should respond. A separate memo, dated February 27, explicitly instructs employees to exclude any classified or sensitive information from their replies. The memo also warns that failure to comply with the directive could result in “further review,” though it does not specify what consequences non-compliance might entail.

For employees who are currently on leave or without access to email, the Pentagon has provided a 48-hour grace period to respond once they regain access to their accounts. This flexibility acknowledges the practical challenges some employees may face in meeting the deadline.

The Backlash: Reactions from Federal Workers

Theemail campaign, which is part of Elon Musk’s broader effort to slash government spending, has sparked significant backlash among some federal employees. Many have expressed frustration at what they see as an overly intrusive and burdensome requirement. Some have even questioned the validity of the request, particularly given the initial confusion and conflicting guidance from Pentagon officials.

Musk, however, has been unequivocal in his stance. In a previous communication, he made it clear that failure to respond to the initial email would be interpreted as a resignation. This tough stance has been echoed by Secretary Hegseth, who has framed the request as a simple “pulse check” to ensure that employees are actively engaged in their work.

In a video posted on social media, Hegseth emphasized the importance of accountability within the federal workforce. “It’s a simple task, really,” he said, echoing Musk’s earlier remarks. “Just a pulse check—‘Are you out there?’—to DoD civilians.” This sentiment reflects the broader philosophy behind the initiative: to create a more efficient and responsive government workforce.

Despite the initial resistance, the White House has reported that more than 1 million federal workers responded to the initial email. While this high response rate suggests that many employees are taking the directive seriously, it also highlights the challenges of implementing such a sweeping initiative across a vast and diverse workforce.

The Purpose: Why This Initiative Matters

At its core, this initiative is about accountability and transparency. By requiring employees to provide a weekly summary of their accomplishments, the OPM and the DoD aim to create a more efficient and responsive federal workforce. The idea is that by regularly assessing what employees are doing, the government can better allocate resources, identify inefficiencies, and ensure that taxpayer dollars are being used effectively.

However, the initiative is also part of a larger push to slash government spending. Elon Musk, who has been a vocal advocate for reducing bureaucracy and streamlining government operations, sees this email campaign as a key step in that process. By requiring employees to account for their time and activities, the hope is that unnecessary overhead can be identified and eliminated, leading to significant cost savings.

For some, this approach represents a much-needed shake-up of the federal bureaucracy. Critics of government spending argue that the current system often lacks transparency and accountability, making it difficult to assess how effectively resources are being used. By requiring employees to provide regular updates on their work, the initiative aims to inject a dose of private-sector efficiency into the public sector.

The Implications: What This Means for Federal Workers

The implications of this initiative are far-reaching, and they have left many federal workers wondering what the future holds. For some, the directive is a minor inconvenience, requiring just a few minutes of their time each week. For others, it represents a significant shift in how they are expected to perform their jobs, and it has raised concerns about privacy, workload, and the potential for micromanagement.

One of the most immediate concerns is the potential for the initiative to create additional work for employees who are already stretched thin. Writing a weekly summary of accomplishments may seem straightforward, but it requires time and effort that could otherwise be spent on core responsibilities. For employees who are already overburdened, this could lead to increased stress and burnout.

There are also questions about how the information gathered from these emails will be used. While the OPM and the DoD have assured employees that the data will be handled responsibly, some are skeptical. There is a fear that the information could be used to evaluate individual performance, potentially leading to unfair scrutiny or even termination for employees who are perceived as underperforming.

Additionally, the directive raises important questions about the balance between accountability and trust in the workplace. While accountability is undeniably important, it is equally important to trust employees to do their jobs effectively without constant oversight. Some argue that this initiative could undermine that trust, leading to a more adversarial relationship between employees and management.

The Next Steps: How the Initiative Will Move Forward

As the initiative moves forward, federal workers will be keeping a close eye on how it is implemented and enforced. The Pentagon has made it clear that it will continue to monitor compliance and respond to any issues that arise. Employees who fail to respond to the email could face disciplinary action, though the specifics of what that action might entail remain unclear.

For now, the focus is on ensuring that all civilian employees within the DoD comply with the directive. The Pentagon has outlined the next steps for employees, including receiving an email with instructions on how to submit their weekly summaries. Once the information is collected, it will be consolidated internally to ensure that it is handled in compliance with federal regulations and policies.

The success of this initiative will ultimately depend on how it is received by federal workers and how it is used by the OPM and the DoD. If it leads to greater efficiency and transparency, it could serve as a model for other government agencies. However, if it is perceived as an unnecessary burden or an invasion of privacy, it could face significant resistance and potentially undermine morale within the federal workforce.

In the coming weeks and months, it will be important to watch how this initiative unfolds and how it impacts both employees and the broader goals of increasing accountability and reducing government spending. As the federal workforce navigates this new era of transparency, one thing is certain: the way government employees are expected to work is changing, and they will need to adapt to these changes in order to thrive.