Pentagon orders civilian staff to justify work in Musk-led review

Pentagon requires weekly accomplishment reports after Musk’s demand

Robert Besser
07 Mar 2025, 15:07 GMT+10

Pentagon orders civilian staff to justify work in Musk-led review

The Pentagon told its civilian employees that they must provide a list of five bullet points detailing their accomplishments from the previous week, after initially saying they did not need to respond to the demand by cost-cutting czar Elon Musk
The memo, signed by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and dated February 27, follows days of confusion over whether federal workers needed to reply to the Musk-inspired email last weekend from the Office of Personnel Management, the U.S. government's human resources department
Despite some agency heads telling staff they did not need to comply with the email, Musk was undeterred and said workers would have "another chance" to respond to his ultimatum that they justify their jobs or risk termination

WASHINGTON, D.C.: The Pentagon told its civilian employees that they must provide a list of five bullet points detailing their accomplishments from the previous week, after initially saying they did not need to respond to the demand by cost-cutting czar Elon Musk.

The memo, signed by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and dated February 27, follows days of confusion over whether federal workers needed to reply to the Musk-inspired email last weekend from the Office of Personnel Management, the U.S. government's human resources department.

Despite some agency heads telling staff they did not need to comply with the email, Musk was undeterred and said workers would have "another chance" to respond to his ultimatum that they justify their jobs or risk termination.

Musk, a tech billionaire who was the biggest donor to Trump's election campaign, is overseeing an unprecedented and rapid downsizing of the U.S. government, which has included dismantling entire departments and sacking tens of thousands of staff across the country.

Last weekend, the Pentagon told staff to ignore the initial OPM email sent on March 1. But the new memo said Pentagon civilian employees must reply to a new email they received on March 3.

"Submissions must exclude classified or sensitive information," the memo seen by Reuters said. It said that if employees did not reply, it may lead to "further review."

The Pentagon has some 950,000 civilian employees. Last week, the Pentagon said it would start cutting 5,400 jobs as part of Trump's drive to slash the federal workforce.

The Pentagon declined to comment.

Watch latest videos

News RELEASES

Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Johannesburg Life.

More Information

null in null

International

Section

Pentagon requires weekly accomplishment reports after Musk’s demand

WASHINGTON, D.C.: The Pentagon told its civilian employees that they must provide a list of five bullet points detailing their accomplishments...

Australian warship rescues Lithuanian adventurer in Coral Sea

Australian Navy rescues cyclone-hit adventurer in Pacific Ocean

MELBOURNE, Australia: An Australian warship rescued Lithuanian adventurer Aurimas Mockus this week after he became stranded in the...

3,000 more active-duty troops sent to US-Mexico border

Pentagon sending 3,000 more active-duty troops to US-Mexico border

WASHINGTON, D.C.: The U.S. is sending about 3,000 more soldiers to the U.S.-Mexico border as President Donald Trump pushes to stop...

Members allowed to switch as Medicaid provider loses accreditation

Maryland suspends Medicaid insurer's accreditation, halts enrollments

ANNAPOLIS, Maryland: Maryland's largest managed care organization for Medicaid recipients has had its accreditation suspended, prompting...

US aircraft carrier in South Korea after North Korea's missile tests

US aircraft carrier in South Korea after North Korea fires missile

SEOUL, South Korea: A U.S. aircraft carrier reached South Korea over the weekend, shortly after North Korea test-fired cruise missiles...

Marking a first, Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lands on the moon

US firm Firefly scores first moon landing with Blue Ghost spacecraft

WASHINGTON, D.C.: Firefly Aerospace has achieved a major milestone in private space exploration, successfully landing its Blue Ghost...

Africa

Section

Pentagon requires weekly accomplishment reports after Musk’s demand

Watch latest videos

News RELEASES

International

Pentagon requires weekly accomplishment reports after Musk’s demand

Australian warship rescues Lithuanian adventurer in Coral Sea

3,000 more active-duty troops sent to US-Mexico border

Members allowed to switch as Medicaid provider loses accreditation

US aircraft carrier in South Korea after North Korea's missile tests

Marking a first, Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lands on the moon

Africa

West African bloc members call for breakaway states to return

GHANA-ACCRA-INDEPENDENCE DAY-ANNIVERSARY

Update: Chinese FM calls for supporting Africa in exploring new development path of self-reliance, self-strengthening

Jindal India Institute launches India's first M.A. in India Studies

Update: Global South should strengthen themselves, stand together in unity, strive for development: Chinese FM

Cynthia Erivo boards action thriller 'Karoshi'

Movie Review

The Phantom of Liberty (Le FantÃ´me de la libertÃ©) [Blu-Ray]