The Defense Department initially told employees to "pause any response" to OPM's request for a list of their work accomplishments.

But, Hegseth writes, a new "What You Did Last Week" email is expected from OPM on Monday, and this time, he has decided that DOD civilians must comply. Workers must reply to the OPM email with “five bullets on their previous week's achievements” and copy their supervisor, Hegseth wrote.

In a video posted to X by the DoD, Hegseth specified that only civilian workers should reply to the email and CC their "immediate supervisors."