US defense chief orders Pentagon employees to respond to Musk’s ‘last week’s accomplishments’ email

By Asiye Latife Yilmaz

ISTANBUL (AA) – The US defense secretary has issued new guidance requiring Pentagon civilians to respond to a follow-up email from the unofficial Department of Government Efficiency, a controversial cost-cutting team led by Elon Musk, asking for five weekly accomplishments.

“Following a review of Pentagon procedures and consultation with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), I am issuing updated guidance,” Pete Hegseth said in a new directive released by the Pentagon on Monday.

Previously, several agencies including the Pentagon instructed employees to ignore Musk’s request. “The Department of Defense initially paused this directive over the weekend but now requires all DoD civilian employees to submit five bullets on their previous week's achievements,” the new memo said.

According to the guidance, submissions must avoid classified or sensitive information and will be included in weekly reports by supervisors. Failure to comply may result in additional review.

Employees unable to access email due to leave, shift work, or other valid reasons must comply “within 48 hours of regaining access.”

“The civilian workforce remains vital to the Department's mission, and your critical contributions support our renewed focus on DoD's core warfighting objectives under President (Donald) Trump's leadership,” the memo added.

After the first email, Musk announced that non-respondents would receive "another chance," but warned that failing to respond a second time could result in termination.

Last week Federal Judge William Alsup ruled that the emails are illegal and “should be stoped, rescinded.”

A second wave of emails requiring US federal employees to report their weekly activities began circulating last week. “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,” said Musk on Saturday on X.

Critics have charged that Musk’s team is firing employees recklessly, without taking into account how critical their jobs are, as well as that it is accessing confidential government information without proper authorization.