Elon Musk took a swipe at former X (previously known as Twitter) CEO Parag Agrawal, whom he fired in 2022 after acquiring the platform. Tesla CEO responded to a post on X referencing his past questioning of Agrawal’s work, bluntly stating, “Parag got nothing done”.
A post on X read “DOGE: Almost three years ago Elon Musk asked Parag Agrawal what he got done last week. Now he’s asking every federal worker the same question”. Quoting the report, Musk write “Parag got nothing done. Parag was fired.”
Elon Musk’s order to federal employees
The Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has recently mandated that all federal employees must justify their work or face potential job loss. According to a Bloomberg report, an email was sent to federal employees asking them to submit a list of their accomplishments for the past week, copying their manager. The deadline for responses was set for Monday at 11:59 p.m. in Washington.
Musk’s directive came soon after former U.S. President Donald Trump praised him, saying, “Elon is doing a great job, but I would like to see him get more aggressive.” Musk later claimed that the directive was issued at Trump’s request. However, as a special government adviser, Musk does not have the authority to fire federal employees.
Backlash from government workers
The move has sparked strong opposition. The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the largest union representing federal workers, vowed to challenge any unlawful dismissals. National president Everett Kelley criticized Musk and the Trump administration, stating that the directive reflected their “utter disdain for federal employees and the critical services they provide to the American people.”
Andy Kim, New Jersey Senator wrote on X “To our public servants, I’m sorry you are being threatened. You deserve so much better. I remember how proud I was when I first swore my oath as a civil servant. Honor of a lifetime. Remember why you chose to serve. Stay strong. I and many others will be right by your side.”