Federal employees are gearing up for what can only be described as the most chaotic Monday in the history of the U.S. government. Why? Because Elon Musk, who evidently thinks he’s the Joan Rivers of corporate management, has thrown down the gauntlet: if you don’t prove you’ve accomplished five specific things last week by 11:59 p.m. EST, you can kiss your federal job goodbye.

Seriously? It’s almost like he’s auditioning for the worst reality show imaginable titled “Survivor: Bureaucratic Edition”. To make matters worse, the buzzkill command came from none other than Trump’s newly-anointed chief of government efficiency, and let’s not forget that this is happening under an administration famous for tossing chaos into the bureaucratic mix like confetti.

Not surprisingly, many federal agencies, including the FBI, State Department, and the Pentagon, have common sense enough to push back against this ridiculous deadline. Some agencies advised their workers to ignore Musk’s request entirely. In a rare bipartisan moment, lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have started murmuring about the legality of Musk’s ultimatum. Can we get a collective eye roll?

Meanwhile, Musk, seemingly determined to throw a wet blanket on federal morale, took to social media to mock federal employees, posting memes about the so-called “whining” about his demands.

Confusion cascaded through the ranks as some agencies encouraged compliance while others went rogue with conflicting instructions. For instance, the Department of Health and Human Services seemed to be sending out mixed messages, leaving its approximately 80,000 employees caught between following orders and dodging the ambitious Musk-themed guillotine. One official lamented that the demand felt like an insult after already pouring in 70 hours of work the previous week and criticized the lack of safeguards for their submissions. It’s as if they’re submitting homework to a teacher who barely shows up to class.

Let’s not forget to mention that many workers were already on edge following various cuts and resignations volleyed during Trump’s second term. And amid it all, Musk suggested non-existent federal employees might be cashing in paychecks under pseudonyms, claiming fraud without a shred of evidence to back it up. There’s a thought we needed today; thanks, Elon.

As the clock ticks down towards the deadline, federal workers are scrambling through the maze of guidance, or lack thereof. With endless criticism swirling around this debacle, one can only hope that these dedicated public servants will find some clarity before they’re forced to scramble for their resumes before Monday night. Let’s hold our collective breath and see if the feds can outwit one of the world’s richest men in this absurd game. Spoiler alert: it’s not looking good.