Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN) took aim at Elon Musk on Saturday over his recent message to federal employees, but the DOGE chief wasted no time in responding.

Smith’s remarks, posted on X, criticized Musk’s approach to federal workforce accountability, but the billionaire entrepreneur swiftly fired back, drawing attention to the need for efficiency in government payrolls.

The dispute began when Smith took to social media to condemn a directive issued by Musk, which emphasized the importance of federal employees being responsive and actively engaged in their roles.

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Musk’s message was met with backlash from some Democratic figures, including Smith, who attempted to frame his approach as unreasonable.

This is the ultimate dick boss move from Musk – except he isn’t even the boss, he’s just a dick. pic.twitter.com/3fSs2ud7Cz

— Senator Tina Smith (@SenTinaSmith) February 23, 2025

Musk, however, was quick to counter her criticism.

What did you get done last week?

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 23, 2025

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In response to Smith’s comments, he dismissed her attack as misguided and emphasized the importance of maintaining accountability in government operations.

Musk also engaged with other users on the platform, reinforcing his stance on ensuring that federal employees are actively contributing to their roles.

He pointed out that a “pulse-check” is a standard practice in many industries to confirm that employees are engaged and responsive.

This email is a very basic pulse check https://t.co/4qEKErwSuE

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 23, 2025

The reason this matters is that a significant number of people who are supposed to be working for the government are doing so little work that they are not checking their email at all!

In some cases, we believe non-existent people or the identities of dead people are being used… https://t.co/Rj5Xe6vYZB

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 23, 2025

His comments resonated with many, including conservative commentators, who noted that similar accountability measures are common in the private sector.

Susie Moore of RedState weighed in on the discussion, explaining that tracking employee activity is not unusual in corporate environments and is often used to ensure productivity.

I practiced law for almost 30 years. I had to document my accomplishments daily – in 6-minute increments.

People flipping out over a simple request like @elonmusk made sound like entitled brats.

— Susie Moore ⚾️🌻🐶 (@SmoosieQ) February 23, 2025

The debate over federal workforce efficiency comes as DOGE, under Musk’s leadership, continues its efforts to review government payrolls and cut unnecessary spending.

The department has already reported billions in savings by eliminating wasteful expenditures, a move that has sparked opposition from those who support the status quo in government hiring and spending.

Sen. Smith, who previously served as Vice President of Planned Parenthood of Minnesota before entering politics, has relatively little private-sector experience.

Critics have noted that her background does not include roles that required detailed accountability for work hours, making her opposition to Musk’s efficiency measures appear out of touch with common business practices.

Musk’s role in overseeing government efficiency efforts was delegated by President Donald Trump as part of a broader initiative to streamline federal operations.

His push for increased accountability among government workers has been met with resistance from some lawmakers, but supporters argue that ensuring taxpayer money is spent responsibly is a necessary and overdue effort.

The exchange between Smith and Musk highlights the ongoing battle over government accountability, as efforts to reform federal spending face pushback from those who have long benefited from bureaucratic inefficiency.

As DOGE continues its review, more debates over the role of oversight in government employment are expected.

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