Pentagon Pulls Plug on Musk’s Weekly “What Did You Do?” Emails to Federal Workers

The U.S. Department of Defense has officially ended the controversial weekly email mandate introduced by Elon Musk, which required federal employees to report what they had accomplished each week. The announcement was made Wednesday by a Pentagon spokesperson, signaling a growing shift away from some of Musk’s more contentious workplace policies.

Policy Started Under Musk Faced Backlash

The “What You Did Last Week” initiative, introduced during Musk’s brief but eventful leadership of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), had been modeled on practices Musk implemented after taking over Twitter. The policy mandated that all federal employees send weekly updates detailing their work — with Musk stating that failure to comply would be considered a resignation.

The policy drew swift criticism from workers and sparked lawsuits. Many government agencies advised staff to disregard the emails, and ultimately, only about half of the federal workforce responded to the initial directive.

Final Push Asked Workers to Suggest Efficiency Improvements

On Friday, Defense Department official Jules Hurst informed staff that the initiative would officially conclude the following Wednesday. As a final gesture, employees were encouraged to share “one concrete idea to enhance efficiency or root out waste” in their last weekly email.

“This initiative provided leaders and supervisors with additional insights into their employees' contributions, fostered accountability, and helped to identify opportunities for greater efficiency and effectiveness throughout the Department,” the Pentagon’s statement said.

Government Agencies Signal a Shift Away from Musk-Era Measures

The end of the email requirement reflects a broader effort to move past some of the high-pressure management strategies associated with Musk’s short tenure in government leadership. While the policy was initially justified as a way to boost transparency and productivity, many pointed out that it created a culture of fear and mistrust among federal workers.