Elon Musk’s ‘What You Did Last Week’ email mandate ends for Pentagon employees; here’s what Department of Defense told employees

The Department of Defense has officially ended Elon Musk‘s “what did you do last week” emails, a Pentagon spokesperson said in a statement. The decision, effective immediately, coincides with Elon Musk’s abrupt departure from the Trump administration. The Pentagon announcement is being seen as signaling a shift away from some of his more contentious policies during his tenure as co-leader of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Pentagon to employees: Send one final email

In a statement, Defense Department official Jules Hurst informed employees last Friday that the program would conclude on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. Hurst encouraged staff to submit one final email, including “one concrete idea to enhance efficiency or root out waste.” The Pentagon defended the initiative’s impact, stating, “This initiative provided leaders and supervisors with additional insights into their employees’ contributions, fostered accountability, and helped to identify opportunities for greater efficiency and effectiveness throughout the Department.”As the DoD moves forward, Hurst emphasized that the department remains committed to efficiency and innovation. “While the email program has concluded, we will continue to explore new ways to optimize our operations and serve the American people,” the statement concluded. Whether other DOGE initiatives will face similar fates remains unclear, but for now, the Pentagon is closing the chapter on one of Musk’s most controversial experiments.

What is this ‘What You Did Last Week’ email

The policy, introduced by Musk in February 2025, required all federal employees to submit weekly emails detailing their accomplishments from the prior week. Musk framed the mandate as a tool to boost accountability and transparency, warning that failure to comply would be treated as a resignation. However, the initiative faced significant resistance, with only about 50% of the federal workforce complying, according to internal reports. Several agencies reportedly advised employees to disregard the directive, citing concerns over its practicality and legality.The “What Did You Do Last Week” policy, while short-lived, sparked heated debate about accountability in the federal government. Supporters argued it forced employees to justify their roles, potentially exposing inefficiencies. Detractors, however, called it an impractical demand that burdened workers with additional reporting without clear benefits.

What Pentagon announcement means for DOGE

The termination of the policy reflects broader tensions surrounding Musk’s brief but disruptive role in the Trump administration. As co-leader of DOGE alongside Vivek Ramaswamy, Musk pushed aggressive reforms aimed at slashing federal spending and streamlining operations. His approach, however, drew criticism for its top-down style and perceived overreach, with critics arguing it undermined morale and ignored the complexities of government workflows. Posts on Twitter echoed this sentiment, with some users calling the email policy “micromanagement on steroids” and others questioning its effectiveness in a workforce already stretched thin.Musk’s exit from the administration, announced just days before the Pentagon’s decision, has fueled speculation about the future of his proposed reforms. Sources familiar with the matter suggest that while some of Musk’s efficiency-driven ideas gained traction, his departure and the scrapping of the email initiative indicate a pivot toward more conventional governance strategies. The DoD’s move is seen as part of a broader effort to stabilize operations and restore focus on core priorities like national security and modernization.