Elon Musk says federal workers must justify their work — or resign
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FBI Chief Tells Staff to Ignore Musk's Productivity Email
Above: Kash Patel. Image copyright: Anna Moneymaker/Staff/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Spin
Democratic narrative
Patel's move highlights growing division within the Trump administration over Musk's push to reshape government operations and increase accountability through unlawful channels. The sudden demand for productivity reports undermines established agency procedures and threatens the job security of hundreds of thousands of dedicated public servants.
Republican narrative
There's no power struggle. Musk is a patriot and is doing a great job of making the government more efficient. The federal government is bloated with unnecessary positions and requires aggressive cost-cutting measures to eliminate waste and inefficiency. The productivity probe serves as a necessary tool to identify non-essential personnel and streamline operations.