Federal workers start receiving second email demanding list of accomplishments
Trump talks about DOGE emails, Musk from Oval Office
President Trump answered questions on a range of topics after signing more executive order from the Oval Office. The president was asked about the DOGE emails, which requested federal workers to detail what they did in the past week using five bullet points. "It's somewhat voluntary," Trump said. "But it's also I guess if you don't answer, you get fired."
WASHINGTON - Federal employees have begun receiving a second round of emails requiring them to list their recent accomplishments, a renewed push by President Donald Trump and billionaire adviser Elon Musk to scrutinize the government workforce.
Initially expected to go out on Saturday, the emails started appearing in some employees' inboxes late Friday, according to a person familiar with the plan who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
The first email, sent a week ago, asked workers "What did you do last week?" and required them to list five completed tasks. However, the request led to confusion and pushback, with many agencies telling employees not to respond or issuing conflicting guidance.
Less than half of federal workers complied, according to the White House.
What’s changing in the second email?
What we know:
Unlike the first email, which was distributed by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), this round will come directly from individual agencies, which have the power to enforce compliance. The change is expected to make it easier to discipline employees who fail to respond.
Leader of the Department of Government Efficiency Elon Musk wears a shirt that says "Tech Support" as he speaks during a cabinet meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington, DC, on February 26, 2025. (Leader of the Department of Government Efficiency Elon Musk wears a shirt that says "Tech Support" as he speaks during a cabinet meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington, DC, on February 26, 2025.)
At Trump's first Cabinet meeting of his second term, Musk defended the demand, calling it a "pulse check" to ensure that government workers "have a pulse and two neurons." Trump backed Musk's approach, claiming that some federal employees "don’t exist" or are no longer alive—though he provided no evidence to support the claim.
What we don't know:
It remains unclear how national security agencies will handle the request. After the first email, agencies handling classified work told employees not to respond due to security concerns. The White House has not specified how the new email will apply to these departments.
Additionally, Trump and Musk have not outlined what consequences workers might face if they fail to respond again. Trump has suggested that those who ignored the first request are "on the bubble" and at risk of being fired or investigated.
Job cuts and buyouts already underway
What's next:
While federal employees await more clarity on the email, layoffs are already beginning.
The Education Department has offered $25,000 buyouts to some employees, warning them of an impending "very significant Reduction in Force." The agency has set a Monday deadline for workers to accept the buyout offer.
A memo circulated this week indicated that large-scale layoffs and program consolidations are expected across multiple agencies as part of Trump’s government restructuring efforts.
The Source: This report is based on Associated Press reporting, statements from the White House and federal agencies, and internal government memos detailing planned workforce reductions. Details on the first email campaign were sourced from The Washington Post and official government correspondence.