The Trump administration has formally terminated the controversial “Five Things” email program introduced by Elon Musk in February 2025. The initiative had required all federal employees to submit weekly summaries of five accomplishments, a policy that quickly drew widespread criticism.
What Was the “Five Things” Email Initiative?
- Launched by Musk during his leadership of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the policy requested employees respond to a weekend email listing five significant work achievements or face threats of resignation Westlaw Today+15Reuters+15Politico+15.
- A growing number of federal agencies, including the Department of Defense, FBI, HHS, and NASA, instructed staff not to comply, citing operational disruption and constitutional concerns Jerusalem Post+4Wikipedia+4Reuters+4.
Why Was the Policy Cancelled?
- The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) sent a memo formally rescinding the requirement, stating managers already had sufficient tools to monitor team productivity .
- OPM Director Scott Kupor described the manual processing involved as inefficient, unnecessary, and impractical to enforce across agencies .
- Many agencies had already phasing it out, but the formal announcement signifies a broader repudiation of Musk’s top-down managerial style.
Broader Implications for DOGE and Musk
- Musk’s role in the Department of Government Efficiency had been controversial. He was never officially a government employee and lacked formal authority to enforce policy changes.
- Following a public fallout between Musk and Trump in June—triggered by Musk’s criticism of major legislative initiatives—Trump began reversing many Musk-influenced reforms, including personnel appointments and contracts.
- DOGE, which had heavily pushed for mass employee buyouts, firings, and agency consolidation, increasingly faced lawsuits and scrutiny for potential constitutional violations and lack of oversight
What This Means For Federal Workforce
- The termination of the “Five Things” email removes a widely despised directive that had captured national attention, easing pressure on already demoralized federal employees.
- OPM and many departments reaffirmed commitment to more collaborative performance evaluation methods over controversial mandates Westlaw Today+10Politico+10Reuters+10timesofindia.indiatimes.com.
- The move signals a shift in administrative approach: greater managerial discretion, less reliance on blanket policies, and reduced influence of DOGE-led inefficiency programs.
Source: My News Ghana
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