The DoD instructed Pentagon employees to not consider Elon Musk email that requested federal workers to mention their activities over the past week in an email.

Hegseth, 44, demanded a proposal that would include annual 8% cuts to the Pentagon’s roughly $850 billion budget, according to a memo.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth posted a picture to X of what appears to be a tax notice showing he owes more than $33,000 in taxes.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said he welcomes Elon Musk’s “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) at the Department of Defense as both look to cut spending.  Hegseth joined former Fox News

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Tuesday he wanted to increase overall U.S. defense spending and played down concerns over a pending audit by Elon Musk aimed at finding billions of dollars in waste at the Pentagon.

The moves came after a judge ruled on Friday that the Trump administration could proceed with plans to lay off or put on paid leave many agency employees and close down operations overseas, which means forcing employees based abroad to come back to the United States. Some of those employees say they expect to be fired once they return home.

FBI Director Kash Patel and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, both Trump allies, instructed workers to ignore Musk’s request.

The Pentagon has temporarily paused a plan that could have resulted in the layoffs of more than 50,000 civilian employees.