the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Washington DC, Elon Musk’s attempt to streamline the federal workforce got a bust from some new allies —not from the courts or watchdog groups, but from Senate-confirmed Cabinet secretaries and agency heads who are asserting their authority over staffing decisions.
Musk’s Directive Meets Internal Resistance
As head of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Musk issued a directive requiring all federal employees to submit bullet-point reports detailing their weekly accomplishments—or risk termination. However, several newly confirmed agency heads, including those at the FBI, Department of Justice, and Homeland Security, told their employees to ignore the email and wait for further instructions.
This internal pushback has sparked a turf war between Musk’s DOGE team and long-established federal agencies, on who would lead the charge and leading to confusion over who has the final say in workforce management.
Cabinet Secretaries Take Control
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) defended the agency heads’ decision to slow-roll Musk’s initiative, emphasizing that these individuals were specifically appointed to manage their departments:
“These are very capable people running big agencies and overseeing thousands of employees. They ought to do everything they can to make their departments work efficiently, but they will also make their own decisions.”
Other lawmakers echoed this sentiment, arguing that while reducing waste in government is a priority, the process should be handled by department leaders rather than dictated by DOGE.
GOP Lawmakers Split on Musk’s Role
Many Republican lawmakers support Musk’s efforts to cut down on waste, fraud, and abuse in the federal workforce, but some disapprove of his aggressive approach.
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) criticized the rollout, calling it a recipe for chaos:
“A lot of these secretaries and directors want control. DOGE should be a facilitator, not a dual-track authority running its own personnel decisions.”
Others, like Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), see this as a battle for control between Musk and Cabinet officials, with President Trump playing mediator:
“The White House wants to be aggressive. They want a top-to-bottom review. But some Cabinet secretaries are saying, ‘We’re for that—but we’ll do it ourselves.’”
White House & Musk Push Forward
Despite the internal friction, White House counselor Alina Habba dismissed concerns, stating that everyone in the administration supports getting federal employees back to work and ending inefficiencies:
“We want people working. No more Zoom calls, no more double-dipping on taxpayer dollars.”
Meanwhile, Trump himself reportedly told Musk and DOGE to be ‘more aggressive’, signaling that he expects agency heads to fall in line—or risk being replaced.
Breaking Washington Norms
Some Republicans are fully backing Musk’s unconventional leadership style, with Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) taking aim at critics:
“I don’t understand why so many people are screaming like Musk stole their dog. I understand this isn’t normal, but normal in Washington is just a setting on the dryer.”
Final Thoughts
The power struggle between Musk’s DOGE and agency heads reveals deep divisions within the administration over how to reform the federal workforce. While the White House wants rapid action, Cabinet secretaries are asserting their independence—and it remains to be seen who will have the final say.
What do you think? Should Musk be leading the charge, or should agency heads take control? Let us know in the comments!
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