A month after the Chief of Efficiency of the Government Department, Elon Musk, began to order all federal employees to present a weekly list of five things they achieved during the previous week, the technical problems have reached the process.
Several employees in multiple agencies have received electronic return emails indicating that the mailbox went to send an email to the staff management office, which prevents them from sending their reports, according to multiple emails reviewed by ABC News.
After sending their weekly email of “5 things” on Monday, some federal employees received an automated response from an OPM email address that indicates: “The recipient’s mailbox is full and cannot accept messages now. Try to forward your message later or communicate with the recipient directly,” according to the emails.
Federal employees in multiple agencies, including IRS, Social Security Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services, have found the problem this week, sources said.
Weekly emails are part of Musk’s continuous efforts to carry out the promise of President Donald Trump to rationalize the government and cut the expense.
OPM and Doge representatives did not respond to a request for comments from ABC News.
In response to rebounds, some agencies have ordered employees to send their reports to an Alternative OPM email address. The personnel of the Department of Health and Human Services received an internal email on Monday that indicated: “We are aware that emails … are being returned as inexitable. Send their weekly achievements to [another address] and cc your supervisor “.
Elon Musk observes during a cabinet meeting in the White House Market room, 24, 2025 in Washington.
Brendan Smialowski/AFP through Getty Images
The last complication has increased the confusion surrounding the requirement of “5 things”, according to several federal workers who spoke with ABC News. While Musk initially threatened federal employees with termination if they did not meet, multiple sources tell ABC News that the application of the requirement seems to decrease in some agencies and some employees have simply stopped presenting their reports without consequences.
A federal employee told ABC News that he established a reminder every Monday to send the same five achievements every week and have never been questioned about it.
Another employee said that some staff members openly make Doge in their presentations. “I don’t think anyone is reading this,” they told ABC News.
It is not clear how widespread is the problem of email. Some agencies use separate OPM email addresses for “5 things” shipping, which have not reported similar rebound problems.
