The Trump administration is set to formally axe the controversial “five things” email initiative, implemented under guidance from Elon Musk during his brief tenure as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The requirement once mandated that federal employees submit weekly emails listing five accomplishments from the prior week
While many federal agencies had already abandoned or quietly abandoned the practice, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is preparing official language to instruct HR leadership across all federal departments to discontinue the mandate as of August 5, 2025
Originally introduced in February 2025, the five‑things email — also reported as “What You Did Last Week” — aimed at boosting accountability and managerial oversight. Musk declared that failure to reply would equate to resignation or even termination. The demand prompted outrage as it was delivered over a weekend with a midnight deadline just days later. Cargo-culted language about firing through non-response fuelled confusion, as OPM communications soon downplayed any actual personnel consequences
The mandate faced rapid pushback. Department heads at the Pentagon, State Department, Justice, and other agencies instructed employees to ignore the request, citing concerns over operational disruption and national and cyber security risks. Scientists and cybersecurity officials warned that collating ostensibly benign operational details could ultimately expose sensitive data to foreign adversaries
By March and April, the program had fragmented across agencies. Some, including the CDC and IRS, phased it out entirely. Others like NOAA and the SSA continued enforcement, causing dissatisfaction among workers and union objections. The inconsistent rollout effectively created a patchwork of compliance regimes across the government.
With Elon Musk’s departure from DOGE in May 2025, his influence rapidly diminished. Though initially given a cordial sendoff by President Trump on May 30, a subsequent public fallout— sparked by Musk’s criticism of the “Big Beautiful Bill” — soured relations. Contracts linked to Musk’s companies were threatened, and personnel aligned with DOGE were replaced across federal agencies.
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Now, as of August 5, 2025, OPM is moving to officially rescind the five‑things email across all federal agencies. Though most agencies had already abandoned the mandate, this formal step marks a symbolic shift away from one of Musk’s most criticized reforms. Wabstalk
