Pentagon Ends DOGE-Initiated Weekly Activity Reports

The Pentagon has officially ended the weekly productivity reporting initiative for civilian employees, which was introduced in February under Elon Musk's leadership of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Employees were initially required to submit weekly emails listing their top five accomplishments, a policy that sparked concerns about security and waste but was intended to foster accountability and identify efficiency improvements. The directive faced pushback from various agencies, including the Defense Department and FBI, with some initially advising employees not to respond due to classified information concerns. Following Musk's reduced role in the Trump administration and his stepping back from DOGE, the Pentagon shifted the requirement to instead ask employees to submit at least one idea each week to improve efficiency or reduce waste. Other agencies, such as the National Institutes of Health, have also discontinued similar weekly reporting. The change reflects ongoing efforts to streamline government operations while addressing practical and security challenges raised by the initial reporting mandate.