President Donald Trump deployed humor on social media as tensions rise over government efficiency initiatives.

According to Fox News, Trump shared a SpongeBob SquarePants-themed meme on Truth Social that mockingly listed what federal employees supposedly accomplished last week, including "crying about Trump" and "crying about Elon."

The meme, which Trump reposted shortly after Elon Musk shared it on X (formerly Twitter), comes amid growing controversy over Musk's demand that federal workers report their weekly accomplishments or face termination. This move aligns with the Trump administration's broader goal of reducing what they view as bloated government bureaucracy.

Federal employee productivity probe sparks backlash

Musk's announcement on social media informed federal employees they would receive an email requesting details of their weekly accomplishments. He explicitly stated that failure to respond would be considered a resignation, effectively an ultimatum to government workers.

The Department of Energy leader, appointed by Trump to spearhead government efficiency initiatives, later noted that "a large number of good responses" had already been received. Musk suggested these responsive employees should be considered for promotion, indicating the exercise might serve multiple purposes beyond identifying unproductive workers.

The productivity probe has triggered significant pushback from both sides of the political aisle. Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska criticized the approach, arguing that public servants deserve dignity and respect rather than having to justify their existence through what she called an "absurd weekend email."

Democratic Senator Tina Smith of Minnesota took a more direct approach in her criticism. She characterized Musk's demand as "the ultimate d--- boss move," adding that Musk "isn't even the boss, he's just a d---." In response, Musk mockingly asked the senator what she had accomplished in the previous week.

Intelligence agencies reject productivity reporting requirement

Several national security agencies have instructed their employees not to comply with Musk's productivity report demand, creating a significant rift in the implementation of the initiative.

The Department of Defense posted on X directing workers to "pause any response to the OPM email titled 'What did you do last week.'" FBI Director Kash Patel similarly told bureau employees to hold off on responding to the request, effectively shielding intelligence workers from the requirement.

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard reportedly instructed intelligence community employees not to reply to the email due to security concerns.

According to the New York Times, Gabbard specifically cited the "inherently sensitive and classified nature" of intelligence work as justification for exempting these employees from the reporting requirement.

The conflict highlights growing tensions between Trump's appointed efficiency czars and established government agencies, particularly those handling classified information. National security leaders appear concerned that responding to such requests could potentially compromise sensitive operations or information.

Meme weaponized in bureaucratic battle

The SpongeBob meme shared by both Trump and Musk represents a new front in the administration's communication strategy, using humor to frame critics of government reform as unproductive complainers.

The meme listed five items under "Got Done Last Week," including "Cried about Trump," "Cried about Elon," "Made it into the office for once," "Read some emails," and "Cried about Trump and Elon some more." The satirical list implies federal workers spend more time complaining than working, reinforcing the administration's narrative about government inefficiency.

This communication approach signals a continuing strategy from the Trump administration to use social media and humor to shape public opinion on controversial policy moves. By framing critics as emotional and unproductive, the meme attempts to undermine opposition to the efficiency initiative.

The use of popular culture references like SpongeBob SquarePants also demonstrates an effort to make complex policy disputes more accessible to the general public through familiar imagery and formats.

Bureaucratic reform vision takes shape

President Trump reposted a SpongeBob SquarePants meme on his Truth Social platform as controversy continues to build around efficiency initiatives targeting federal workers. The humorous post appeared shortly after Elon Musk, who leads the newly created Department of Government Efficiency, shared the same meme on X.

The productivity reporting requirement represents one of the first visible actions from Musk in his role helping Trump reduce the size of government. While attempting to identify waste and inefficiency, the move has prompted significant pushback from lawmakers and agency leaders concerned about both the approach and potential impacts on sensitive government operations.