Elon Musk attended Wednesday‘s Cabinet meeting loaded for bear as he defended last week’s email seeking federal workers’ lists of what they accomplished that week.
Musk, the head of the Department of Government Efficiency, called it a “pulse check” to see if those collecting paychecks are actually working, per The Hill.
Musk, who is not a member of the Cabinet, said his intention is to eliminate waste and fraud in the federal government.
“There are fictional individuals collecting paychecks,” Musk said.
Musk made the statement without offering proof of its veracity.
“Are they alive, and can they write an email?” he queried.
Musk attended the meeting at the behest of President Donald Trump and took questions from the press.
Trump also defended the controversial email, while others have not.
FBI Director Kash Patel and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard told their staff the did not have to answer the email.
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) said Monday that responses were voluntary.
“I can tell you everything I’ve done for the last — long period of time,” Trump said. “We have a mandate to do this. And this part of the reason I got elected.”
“Those millions of people who haven’t responded, they’re on the bubble,” Trump added. “I wouldn’t say they wouldn’t exist.”
Trump and Musk have made it clear they intend to cut the federal workforce.
The OPM directed agencies to turn over plans for widespread layoffs of federal employees by March 13.
