Elon Musk: Senior Advisor, Not Administrator—White House Addresses DOGE Role in Court
The White House has clarified that billionaire Elon Musk is not in charge of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has been making sweeping changes across federal agencies.
Washington: The White House has clarified that billionaire Elon Musk is not in charge of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has been making sweeping changes across federal agencies. Instead, Musk is serving as a senior advisor to President Donald Trump, with no direct control over day-to-day operations at DOGE.
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This clarification comes amid a growing legal battle over Musk’s involvement with the federal government, particularly concerning the Department of Government Efficiency’s access to government data. As the Trump administration moves to lay off thousands of federal workers, Musk’s exact role has become a key point in a lawsuit filed by several Democratic states.
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Musk’s Advisory Role Under Scrutiny
The states argue that Musk wields “virtually unchecked power” over the government’s systems and is violating constitutional principles because he is not an elected official nor Senate-confirmed. In court documents filed Monday, the Trump administration defended Musk’s position, arguing that he holds no formal decision-making authority over the operations of DOGE.
Joshua Fisher, director of the White House Office of Administration, said in the legal filing that Musk is “not a DOGE employee” and has “no actual authority to make government decisions himself.” While Musk has publicly supported DOGE’s work, including on his social media platform X and in a recent White House appearance, the White House stopped short of naming the actual administrator of the department.
Legal Challenges and Public Perception
Musk’s role has been under intense public scrutiny, especially in light of his calls for dramatic restructuring within the federal government. Last week, the entrepreneur proposed the elimination of entire government agencies as part of an effort to significantly cut spending and reorganize priorities.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed the controversy in a Tuesday interview with Fox News Channel, stating that Musk’s involvement is “at the direction of President Trump,” and emphasized that individual agency heads are ultimately responsible for making decisions on layoffs.
Leavitt also declined to disclose who the official administrator of DOGE is, despite the growing legal and public pressure surrounding the initiative.
Legal Battle Continues
The Trump administration is fighting back against lawsuits filed by Democratic states that seek to prevent Musk and the DOGE team from accessing federal systems. As DOGE continues to inspect federal agencies, searching for waste, fraud, and abuse, the number of lawsuits against the initiative has increased. At least two of these lawsuits specifically target Musk and his involvement with the project.
During a court hearing on Monday, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan expressed skepticism about the Trump administration’s claims that Musk has no formal authority. “I think you stretch too far. I disagree with you there,” Judge Chutkan said, casting doubt on the administration’s legal arguments.
As the legal battles unfold, it remains to be seen how Musk’s role as a senior advisor will influence the future of the DOGE program and its access to federal systems. The Trump administration is likely to face continued challenges as it defends Musk’s involvement, with both legal and public scrutiny continuing to mount.
