The US Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the agency responsible for federal personnel, announced on 5/8 the termination of the "5 things email" requirement, canceling previous guidance that mandated federal employees to comply with the program.
"We believe managers are responsible for understanding their subordinates' work, and there are already many tools available to do this," said OPM Director Scott Kupor. He added that the agency has informed federal personnel representatives that OPM will no longer manage or enforce the program internally.
While several federal agencies had gradually phased out the weekly "5 things email" requirement, this move signals the Trump administration's formal closure of one of Elon Musk's most controversial initiatives. This follows a rift between the two that began in early June due to disagreements regarding a "beautiful bill."
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Elon Musk in Beverly Hills, California, in May 2024. Photo: AFP |
Elon Musk in Beverly Hills, California, in May 2024. Photo: AFP
The White House has not commented on OPM's move, and Musk has yet to make a statement.
Musk announced the "5 things email" initiative in February to increase accountability. The program upset federal managers, who were unexpectedly directed to implement it over a weekend.
The initiative required all federal employees to submit weekly email reports listing five of their accomplishments. Musk threatened that those who failed to respond would be considered resigned.
The program also caused confusion among federal employees, who received conflicting instructions about whether to send the emails and, if so, what to include.
Musk contributed over 250 million USD to Trump's campaign in late 2024. The American billionaire then led efforts to cut the federal budget and personnel through the Government Performance Board until he left in May to focus on his technology empire.
Trump initially parted ways with Musk amicably, but later became angry when Musk criticized his "beautiful bill." The US president then withdrew the nomination of Jared Isaacman, a Musk ally, for a leadership position at NASA. On 5/7, Musk founded the America Party to challenge both the Democratic and Republican parties.
Duc Trung (Reuters, AFP)
