Soon after Elon Musk issued a warning to all US federal employees about their job security, newly appointed FBI Director Kash Patel pushed back against the directive. Musk, who serves as co-chair of the Department of Government Efficiency and advisor to US President Donald Trump, announced that federal employees must submit a detailed report of their weekly accomplishments. “Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation,” Musk stated on X.
This move aligns with the Trump administration’s broader effort to reduce the size of the federal government and lay off thousands of employees deemed unproductive.
FBI Director pushes back
Kash Patel, who was sworn in on Friday as the ninth director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, swiftly responded to Musk’s directive. Patel instructed his FBI staff to “pause any responses” to the productivity inquiries, emphasising that the agency maintains control over its internal review processes.
“FBI personnel may have received an email from OPM requesting information. The FBI, through the Office of the Director, is in charge of all of 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 stated.
The FBI is not the only agency resisting Musk’s directive. According to a CNN report, employees of the National Security Agency (NSA) were also instructed to hold off on responding to the productivity inquiry until further guidance from the Department of Defense.