Federal agencies are experiencing significant internal conflict as unions advise members to ignore emails from Elon Musk's DOGE project, threatening job security if they do not account for their weekly work. Agencies like the FBI have instructed employees to pause responses, reflecting pushback against Musk’s drastic cuts aimed at reshaping the federal workforce. This high-stakes standoff raises concerns over public health research disruptions and potential legal challenges as public officials react to mass layoffs impacting essential health services.