Elon Musk has issued a provocative new order tied to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a controversial initiative he co-leads under President Donald Trump’s administration.

According to Newsweek, Musk declared it “mandatory for the executive branch” to respond to an email detailing what government employees accomplished in the prior week.

This directive, part of a broader DOGE ultimatum, has ignited a firestorm of debate across political and public spheres, raising questions about its feasibility, legality, and implications for federal workers.

The order follows Musk’s announcement last weekend on X, where he outlined the email request as a means to assess federal productivity.

Newsweek reported that Musk’s decree stipulates that those failing to respond by a Monday midnight deadline could face being “semi-fired or fired.”

President Trump has publicly endorsed the move, calling it a “pretty ingenious idea” in a statement that has only amplified the controversy.

However, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) swiftly countered this narrative on Monday, clarifying that compliance with Musk’s demand is voluntary, not mandatory.

The Pentagon and Trump’s FBI Director Kash Patel have similarly instructed their staff to disregard the request, highlighting a growing rift within the administration.

Since its inception in Trump’s second term, DOGE—helmed by Musk—has been a lightning rod for criticism and praise.

The initiative has already recommended slashing over 200,000 federal jobs, with Newsweek noting that approximately 75,000 probationary employees have accepted “deferred resignation” buyouts, per OPM figures.

While Trump has lauded DOGE’s efforts as the work of a “force of super-geniuses,” the mass layoffs have drawn ire from Democratic lawmakers, unions, and segments of the public.

Senator John Curtis, a Utah Republican, appeared on CBS News’ Face the Nation last Sunday, urging Musk to inject “a dose of compassion” into the process, emphasizing the real human cost of such cuts.

“These are mortgages. These are real lives,” Curtis said, challenging the narrative that efficiency requires cruelty.

The legal authority of Musk and DOGE to enforce such measures remains murky.

Despite Trump’s backing, it’s unclear whether the initiative can terminate employees over the email request, a point Newsweek underscored in its reporting.

The OPM’s declaration of voluntary compliance suggests a pushback from federal agencies, unwilling to cede control to what some see as an unorthodox overreach by a private citizen.

Posts on X reflect a polarized public response, with some users hailing Musk’s bold approach to government reform, while others decry it as an authoritarian stunt.

This latest order builds on a pattern of disruptive moves from Musk and DOGE, including calls to replace the IRS with a tariff-based system and appeals for retired air traffic controllers to return amid a staffing crisis—both trending topics on X in late February.

Critics argue that Musk’s innovative influence risks destabilizing essential government functions. Supporters, however, see it as a necessary shake-up of a bloated bureaucracy.

The fallout from Musk’s DOGE ultimatum continues to unfold. With federal agencies digging in their heels and public sentiment split, the clash between Musk’s vision and institutional resistance promises to shape the broader narrative of government efficiency in Trump’s second term.

Whether this order marks a turning point or a misstep, its reverberations are sure to dominate headlines—and X feeds—for weeks to come.