Trump Appointees Instructing Staff to Respond:
Ed Martin (Interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia): Ed Martin, a Trump loyalist serving as the interim U.S. Attorney in Washington, D.C., explicitly encouraged his staff to reply to the DOGE email. He praised Musk and DOGE, stating, “DOGE and Elon are doing great work!” and gave his staff the go-ahead to comply with the request. This stance stands out as an exception among other appointees who have resisted or paused responses.
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Leadership (Initially): Initially, some managers at HHS, led by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., instructed employees to comply with the request by sending a list of five accomplishments from the past week to a generic government email address. However, this guidance was later reversed, indicating a shift to non-compliance or a pause pending further clarification. The initial push to respond suggests at least some early alignment with Musk’s directive within the agency.
Trump Appointees Instructing Staff to Ignore or Pause:
Kash Patel (FBI Director): Newly confirmed FBI Director Kash Patel, a staunch Trump ally, instructed FBI employees to ignore Musk’s request for the time being. In an email to staff, Patel emphasized that the FBI would handle its review processes internally, stating, “The FBI, through the Office of the Director, is in charge of all of our review processes, and will conduct reviews in accordance with FBI procedures. When and if further information is required, we will coordinate the responses. For now, please pause any responses.” This suggests a resistance to Musk’s authority over FBI operations.
Pentagon Leadership (Department of Defense): Jules Hurst, the Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, instructed Pentagon employees to “pause” any response to the DOGE email. This directive reflects a broader resistance within the Department of Defense, indicating that leadership—appointed by Trump—prefers to maintain control over its internal processes rather than comply with Musk’s mandate.
State Department Leadership: Officials at the State Department, under Trump-appointed leadership, sent emails instructing staff not to respond to the OPM email outside their chains of command. While the specific appointee issuing this guidance isn’t named, it aligns with a pattern of Trump appointees asserting agency autonomy against Musk’s initiative.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Leadership: R.D. Alles, Deputy Undersecretary for Management at DHS, told employees that “no reporting action from you is needed at this time” and that agency managers would handle any response. This instruction effectively sidelines Musk’s direct demand, with DHS leadership—appointed by Trump—opting to centralize control rather than have staff comply individually.
Department of Energy Leadership: By Sunday evening, February 23, 2025, leaders at the Department of Energy had instructed staff not to reply to the OPM email, joining other major agencies in pushing back against Musk’s directive. While the specific appointee isn’t detailed, this aligns with the trend among Trump appointees heading critical agencies.
Additional Context and Observations:
Mixed or Reversed Guidance: Some agencies, like HHS, initially encouraged compliance but later backtracked, reflecting internal confusion or a reassessment of Musk’s authority. Other departments, such as the Department of Justice, initially validated the email’s legitimacy but later advised staff to await further instructions, suggesting a cautious approach rather than outright defiance or compliance.
Absence of Named Leadership in Some Cases: In several instances (e.g., Pentagon, State Department, DHS), the instructions came from senior officials or deputies rather than the top appointee being explicitly named. However, these officials operate under Trump-appointed agency heads, indicating a broader rift between Musk’s DOGE initiative and Trump’s own appointees.
This split highlights a tension within the Trump administration as of February 24, 2025. While appointees like Ed Martin align with Musk’s aggressive cost-cutting push, others—such as Kash Patel at the FBI, and leaders at the Pentagon, State Department, DHS, and Department of Energy—are resisting or delaying compliance, prioritizing their agencies’ established chains of command over Musk’s directives. The situation remains fluid, with conflicting guidance causing significant confusion among federal workers as the deadline approaches.
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