Federal workers are still required to fill out DOGE ‘five things’ email despite Musk being long gone

The White House and other government agencies defend the practice despite some employees questioning their utility

Despite Elon Musk’s exit, federal employees still have to send an email explaining five things that they did in the past seven days, Axios reported.

Musk left the his job at the helm of the Department of Government Efficiency at the end of last month and subsequently turned his rage against President Donald Trump.

During his tenure, Musk concocted the idea of forcing federal employees to send emails in a post on X, saying that failing to respond more than once could result in their firing.

At the time, some cabinet-level officials in the Trump administration such as FBI Director Kash Patel and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard pushed back on the emails. Axios reported that White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles was surprised by the policy.

“To use a phrase Susie might use, she was fit to be tied at Musk,” one official said.

Federal employees at numerous government agencies still have to send an email laying out their work, an idea concocted by Elon Musk (Getty Images)

But despite Musk’s exit, federal government employees at agencies like the Office of Personnel Management and NOAA are encouraged to send out the emails.

“We're told to send it every Monday before midnight,” one employee at Social Security told Axios. Despite this, the employee said “I have never gotten a response from anyone.”

White House spokeswoman Liz Huston responded by saying “Commissioner Bisignano is streamlining the Social Security Administration to deliver more efficient service for American taxpayers.”

OPM spokeswoman McLaurine Pinover said she submits her emails weekly.

“This practice is vital to maintain accountability and transparency in employee contributions,” she told Axios. “It's an easy way to share my work with leadership.”

Despite Musk almost completely decimating the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, one employee said that they had not been told to stop sending the emails, but they stopped doing so.

“Got tired of saying I hadn't accomplished anything because we haven't been given any work,” they said.

White House spokesman Harrison Fields defended the emails too.

“The mission of eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse is a part of the DNA of the federal government and will continue under the direction of the President, his cabinet, and agency heads to enhance government efficiency and prioritize responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars,” he said.

Trump tapped Musk, a major 2024 campaign donor and booster on social media for the president, to lead DOGE, which was named after an internet meme dog.

During that time, Musk slashed numerous government agencies such as the US Agency for International Development and the CFPB while reducing the workforces who manage the nation’s national park system or at the Department of Health and Human Services.

Earlier this month, Musk turned his ire toward Trump’s signature “One Big, Beautiful Bill” domestic spending legislation an “outrageous, pork-filled abomination.”

Musk then went a step further and said that Trump was named in files related to the late financier and trafficker of underage girls Jeffrey Epstein, calling for his impeachment.

Earlier this week, Musk apologized for some of his remarks.