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yesterday

Pentagon drops weekly ‘five things’ reports in favor of cost-saving proposals

The move shifts focus from periodic progress checks to employee ideas on efficiency with the Defense Department advancing planned civilian workforce reductions.

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Overview

  • On May 28, the Pentagon ended the weekly “What You Did Last Week” requirement for civilian employees introduced by DOGE in February.
  • Undersecretary Jules Hurst instructed staff to submit a single idea by Wednesday each week to improve efficiency or eliminate waste.
  • The change follows initial resistance and subsequent enforcement of the “five things” emails by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
  • Several federal agencies, including the CDC and IRS, have also modified or rescinded the weekly update mandate.
  • The shift comes as the Trump administration pursues broader Defense Department reforms, including civilian workforce reductions through a Deferred Resignation Program.