Federal agency heads push back on Musk’s demand for justification of their jobs

Federal law enforcement agency heads are pushing back against a demand from Elon Musk for employees to justify their jobs by listing accomplishments from the past week, with a deadline of Monday at 11:59 p.m. Failure to respond would be considered a resignation. Director Kash Patel of the FBI instructed his employees to pause responses to an email from the Office of Personnel Management, stating that the FBI handles its own review processes and will coordinate any necessary responses. U.S. attorneys John Durham and Ed Martin also advised their staff to be cautious in their replies due to the sensitive and classified nature of law enforcement work. Durham emphasized the need for careful responses, while Martin encouraged employees to be general if necessary, assuring them of his support. Musk's directive followed President Donald Trump's call for more aggressive action against wasteful government spending. The demand has created a scramble among agencies unsure how to comply with the sensitive nature of their duties.