Musk orders federal remote workers back, threatens leave

Elon Musk, leading the Department of Government Efficiency, enforced President Trump's executive order mandating federal workers return to in-person work or face administrative leave. This directive follows a previous warning to remote employees, with a deadline of February 24 for compliance, after which non-compliers would be considered resigning. Confusion arose as Musk's request for weekly work summaries conflicted with agency heads who instructed employees not to respond, leading to significant pushback. Supporters in Congress, including Rep. Ralph Norman, reinforced Musk's stance, while some federal unions challenged the legality of these changes. Trump's administration is pushing for a reduction in the federal workforce, with a federal judge recently ruling in favor of a buyout program aimed at downsizing. The overall strategy is to enhance government efficiency, despite controversies surrounding the speed and process of implementation.