Trump 2nd term updates: Trump excludes low-value shipments from looming tariffs

Amid confusion regarding Elon Musk's request for federal employees to list five accomplishments they achieved last week, the president has stepped in to defend the OPM email, calling it "great" and arguing that "a lot of people aren't answering because they don't even exist."

When asked about a "disconnect" in communications between Musk and federal agency heads instructing employees not to respond, Trump argued that this was because some employees are working on confidential material.

"And they don't mean that in any way combative with Elon. They're just saying there are some people that you don't want to really have them tell you what they're working on," Trump argued.

"But other than that, I think everyone thought it was a pretty ingenious idea," Trump added.

After saying he would meet with Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy once a mineral deal is reached, Trump said he would also meet Russia's Vladimir Putin.

"At some point, I'll be meeting with President Putin, too," Trump said, though he said he didn't know when that would take place.

Last week, Trump ramped up criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy by calling him a "dictator."

On Monday, he was asked if he would use that term to describe Russia's Vladimir Putin. Trump declined to do so.

"I don't use those words lightly," he responded. "I think we're going to see how it all works out."

Trump said Monday he will meet soon with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The comment was made as Trump took reporters' questions in the Oval Office, where he was meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron.

Trump said Zelenskyy could come this week or next week to sign an agreement on Ukrainian minerals and rare earth elements. Trump said the agreement was still being worked on and that they are "very close" to a final deal.

"He would like to come, as I understand it, here to sign it. And that would be great by me," Trump said.

Leadership at the Treasury Department sent an agency-wide email Monday morning instructing all employees -- including those at the IRS -- to comply with OPM’s email by tonight’s deadline, according to an email obtained by ABC News.

“By now, you should have received an email from OPM requesting information on your accomplishments over the past week. If you are not on leave Monday, you are required to respond before the deadline,” wrote John York, a senior counselor to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, according to the email.

The email has left some employees confused, particularly because it does not clarify whether failure to respond by the deadline could result in termination as Elon Musk threatened on X.

One IRS employee told ABC News that when they asked their direct management whether not responding would result in them being fired, they were told, “We are only to adhere to official emails and ignore any directives not communicated through official channels.”

Another employee in management at the IRS said staff are "freaking out."

-- ABC News' Will Steakin