Following Elon Musk’s email urging federal employees to report their weekend tasks, a female employee likened the experience to living in North Korea. She expressed the dread of complying with what felt like an authoritarian demand. The email implied consequences for non-compliance, sparking anxiety among employees. She criticized Musk’s authority over federal operations and highlighted the impact on dedicated career civil servants. The situation prompted significant backlash and concerns about Musk’s understanding of government roles. Musk, in turn, shared a BBC report about North Korea, suggesting a disconnection from the realities of low-level employees in federal positions.
Days after billionaire Elon Musk emailed federal employees requesting them to outline the tasks they completed over the weekend, a female employee likened the situation to “living in North Korea.”
In a video, the woman expressed her concerns, stating, “The overwhelming feeling of existential dread I experienced while responding to that email is something I wish I could share with everyone. It felt like such a peek into the reality they are trying to create, and it was terrifying,” she remarked. “It felt like you would do what I say or else.”
She mentioned that the email did not explicitly state that failing to respond would be considered a resignation, but added, “However, the post on X did indicate that. Leadership at my agency appears to accept the email’s authenticity, yet we are uncertain about the implications of the threat. We’re going to respond, but it was largely left up to each individual to decide their course of action.”
The employee criticized the Tesla CEO’s actions, saying, “This entire situation is simply an exercise for them to showcase how much power they wield over us and how little power we possess in return. It’s absolutely crazy because again, who the f**k is Elon? How does he get to decide that he is the king of federal employees, the king of HR, at the office of personnel management? And he expects us to comply with his demands under the threat of being fired.”
Out of touch with reality, to say the least https://t.co/n0rYd2ROiY pic.twitter.com/dozJ53SN5M
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 27, 2025
“It felt a lot like what I’ve always envisioned living in a place like North Korea would be like, where the atmosphere is, Yes, master. Your wish is my command,” she continued.
She further stated that the individuals involved lacked expertise outside of technology and were undermining the careers of dedicated federal employees. “These are individuals who have devoted their lives to building the careers they have, completing their education, and cultivating their careers over many years, even decades,” she noted.
Shortly after the video gained traction on social media, Elon Musk shared a BBC report from 2023 regarding North Korea, which was headlined, “North Korea: Residents tell BBC of neighbours starving to death.”
“Out of touch with reality, to say the least,” Musk remarked, suggesting a parallel to life in a dictatorship.
The email from Musk, titled “What did you do last week?”, caused significant anxiety among employees and led to substantial backlash against such measures from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Earlier this week, Musk garnered attention during President Trump’s first Cabinet meeting of his second term. During the meeting, Musk explained that he sent the email at Trump’s request to be “more aggressive” in improving the effectiveness and efficiency of government institutions.