KEY POINTS
- Gabbard reasoned out that intelligence workers shouldn't respond 'given the inherently sensitive and classified nature of our work'
- Patel was firmer, telling FBI staffers that his office will conduct the necessary reviews within the agency and coordinate responses with the DOGE
- The State Department's Tibor Nagy said no employee with the agency is obliged to respond outside the agency's chain of command
- Some Republican lawmakers have been pushing back against the DOGE's aggressive federal workforce cuts in recent weeks
National Intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard has informed agency employees to ignore an email directly ordered by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) head Elon Musk requiring them to justify their accomplishments over the past week.
Musk said Sunday the requirement was "consistent" with U.S. President Donald Trump's instructions. He went on to note that "failure to respond will be taken as a resignation." A deadline of late Monday night has been set for responses.
As per screenshots of the email that has been circulated on X and re-shared by the tech titan himself, federal staffers were asked to reply with approximately "5 bullets of what you accomplished last week and cc your manager."
Consistent with President @realDonaldTrump’s instructions, all federal employees will shortly receive an email requesting to understand what they got done last week.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 22, 2025
Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation.
Gabbard Tells Intelligence Employees to Ignore Musk's Email
Gabbard has joined a few other figures within the president's inner circle to tell workers they're not supposed to respond to the email.
"Given the inherently sensitive and classified nature of our work, IC employees should not respond to the OPM (Office of Personnel Management) email," Gabbard wrote to intelligence workers, as per a copy of the email obtained by the New York Times.
It is unclear whether Gabbard's office is coordinating with the DOGE regarding the matter.
FBI, State Department Chiefs Display Firmer Opposition
Earlier in the day, FBI Director Kash Patel sent a similar email to agency workers, telling them to "pause any responses" to the OPM email.
"The FBI, through the Office of the Director, is in charge of all our review processes, and will conduct reviews in accordance with FBI procedures. When and if further information is required, we will coordinate the responses. For now, please pause any responses," Patel wrote in his email to FBI employees.
Patel's message to FBI workers was more pronounced than Gabbard, but he isn't the only Trump administration leader who put a foot down in opposition to the Musk-mandated email.
State Department official Tibor Nagy reportedly told staffers that "no employee is obligated to report their activities outside of their Department chain of command."
Republican Pushback Grows as Musk Wields Iron Hand in Federal Government
More voices from the Republican Party are also ringing louder as Musk's DOGE continues to aggressively slash the federal workforce using various means.
Rep. Mike Lawler of New York said he's not sure if Musk's method this time was "necessarily feasible," given how many federal workers are under a union contract.
He did note that "there's no question" the DOGE is doing what it can to ensure workforce efficiency since the U.S. government "has been bloated."
“There’s no question, as the Department of Government Efficiency moves ahead, what they are seeking to do is ensure that every agency and department is effectively and efficiently doing their job,” GOP Rep. Mike Lawler tells @MarthaRaddatz. https://t.co/xv9Igx3X8f pic.twitter.com/4M8Z2kbbFL
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) February 23, 2025
This isn't the first time either that a Republican raised issue with Musk's methods in cutting down the federal workforce.
Earlier this month, Idaho Rep. Mike Simpson that national parks may suffer setbacks as they prepare for the incoming summer season when tourism peaks.
"We need to have a conversation with DOGE and the administration about exactly what they've done here. It's a concern to all of us," he said at the time.
Sen. Katie Britt has also said she's been hard at work in ensuring the DOGE's federal workforce cuts don't have an impact on "life-saving, groundbreaking research at high-achieving institutions."
