Part 2/8:
In a surprising twist just hours before the deadline, Musk announced that federal employees would be granted a second chance to respond to his email, stating, "subject to the discretion of the president." While this may have seemed like a reprieve, it also came with the stern warning that failure to reply again would result in termination. The landscape of federal employment has become muddled, especially as many agencies, led by appointees from the previous administration, advised employees not to respond to Musk's email at all.