Department of Government Efficiency head says he wants to test whether federal employees are ‘capable of replying to an email’

Summary

Elon Musk admitted that his mass email to federal employees demanding weekly accomplishment reports sent to him or risk termination was a test to gauge responsiveness.

Musk tried to frame the move as a “pulse check” on bureaucrats.

The email caused confusion, with some agency leaders advising staff to ignore it, while others initially instructed compliance before reversing course.

A rift emerged as top officials at the FBI, Pentagon, State Department, Department of Homeland Security, and Department of Energy openly defied Musk’s directive, highlighting tensions within the administration.

  • Zeppo@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    259·
    4 days ago

    Sounds like bullshit. I’d say he was totally serious and then is now, after it mostly fizzles, is giving the suitty excuse because he’s a childish and weasely coward.

    • adarza@lemmy.caEnglish
      37·
      4 days ago

      they were getting pushback from their own ‘people’ heading some of the agencies and departments. they had to walk the email back or risk actually losing one or more of them to sanity.

    • Tarquinn2049@lemmy.world
      14·
      4 days ago

      It didn’t play out how he wanted it to, and people were pushing back and talking about it being very illegal, people that matter. So, of course, it was a joke all along. “Man, you guys thought I was serious? Could you imagine? You guys really need to lighten up and take a joke better. So serious…”

      We’ve all been on the other end of that from the various douchebags in our lives.

      Also “ha, you flinched!” They like when people react like that.

      • CharlesDarwin@lemmy.worldEnglish
        11·
        4 days ago

        The asshole should be in prison for life for breaking into our government systems and our institutions.

        Given that he’s filthy rich, I just know it won’t happen, but it really should. And ALL of his companies and assets seized. Maybe some set aside for baby mamas and children, but the rest should be handed over to the government, since all of it is built on the back of the government anyway.

    • JakenVeina@lemm.eeEnglish
      71·
      4 days ago

      Nah, I definitely think it was a ruse, just not this one. What the fuck were they ever gonna DO with 3 million e-mails coming in within a week? Actually analyze them all to idendify each employee’s value? Nonsense.

      A) It was a cheap way to bank an excuse to fire anyone who didn’t respond “for cause” at some later point when they identify people they want to fire, and are looking for cause.

      B) They were planning to feed all the responses into an LLM or something similar. Maybe as a way to look for certain “woke” buzzwords and make a hitlist of people to target for firing.