Federal workers faced fresh uncertainty about their futures on Tuesday after Elon Musk gave them ¡°another chance¡± to respond to his ultimatum that they justify their jobs or risk termination, contradicting guidance from some Trump administration officials that the request was voluntary.

The confusing back-and-forth has rippled through the federal bureaucracy, with some agencies instructing workers to comply and others not. It has become a test of how much power Musk wields over the government¡¯s operations as he pursues an unprecedented cost-cutting campaign with President Donald Trump¡¯s backing.

Twenty-one workers resigned from his ¡°Department of Government Efficiency¡± in protest on Tuesday, saying they refused to aid the downsizing effort.