Musk’s email blast on Saturday to 2.3 million federal workers — ordering each to submit by Monday “approx. 5 bullets of what you accomplished last week,” with failure to respond constituting the employee’s resignation — was nothing but an exercise in contempt. And in many agencies, it was promptly countermanded.

In an exclusive interview with Meet the Press, Commerce Sec. Howard Lutnick says that President Trump made clear to his Cabinet that Elon Musk is “a partner” in deciding who and what will be cut from their departments.