Washington — The White House has clarified that billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk is not officially listed as part of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) team, but serves instead as a senior adviser to President Donald Trump.
Musk’s designated role may be significant in the ongoing legal battle concerning DOGE’s access to government data, particularly as the Trump administration initiates plans to reduce the federal workforce by thousands. By portraying Musk as an adviser rather than the primary individual managing daily operations at DOGE, the administration could strengthen its defense against a lawsuit claiming Musk possesses excessive influence for someone who has not been elected or confirmed by the Senate.
This assertion arises as the Trump administration pushes back against a lawsuit from various Democratic-led states that argue Musk and DOGE should be restricted from entering federal systems. The plaintiffs contend that Musk exercises “virtually unchecked power,” which they believe contravenes constitutional stipulations.
In response, the administration maintains that Musk does not hold a formal position at DOGE and lacks the authority to make governmental decisions independently, according to court documents cited by Joshua Fisher, director of the White House Office of Administration. The papers do not disclose the name of DOGE’s actual administrator, a role that Musk has publicly supported through posts on his social media platform X and during his appearance at the White House.
On Tuesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt refrained from revealing the identity of the DOGE administrator when pressed by reporters. However, she previously stated in an interview with Fox News Channel that Musk has been tasked by the president to oversee the initiative.
Leavitt noted that decisions regarding layoffs are left to the leaders of individual agencies. She remarked, “Elon Musk, like everyone else in the federal government, operates under the direction of President Trump.”
The DOGE team has been actively navigating through various federal agencies, examining computer systems, scrutinizing budgets, and searching for inefficiencies, while facing an increasing number of lawsuits that allege law-breaking by Trump and DOGE. At least two of these lawsuits explicitly target Musk himself.
Recently, Musk proposed a radical approach for the federal government, suggesting the deletion of entire agencies as part of a broader strategy to substantially reduce spending and reconfigure national priorities.
During a hearing on Monday, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan expressed skepticism regarding claims made by Justice Department attorneys that Musk holds no official authority, stating, “I think you stretch too far. I disagree with you there.”
Musk’s designated role may be significant in the ongoing legal battle concerning DOGE’s access to government data, particularly as the Trump administration initiates plans to reduce the federal workforce by thousands. By portraying Musk as an adviser rather than the primary individual managing daily operations at DOGE, the administration could strengthen its defense against a lawsuit claiming Musk possesses excessive influence for someone who has not been elected or confirmed by the Senate.
This assertion arises as the Trump administration pushes back against a lawsuit from various Democratic-led states that argue Musk and DOGE should be restricted from entering federal systems. The plaintiffs contend that Musk exercises “virtually unchecked power,” which they believe contravenes constitutional stipulations.
In response, the administration maintains that Musk does not hold a formal position at DOGE and lacks the authority to make governmental decisions independently, according to court documents cited by Joshua Fisher, director of the White House Office of Administration. The papers do not disclose the name of DOGE’s actual administrator, a role that Musk has publicly supported through posts on his social media platform X and during his appearance at the White House.
On Tuesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt refrained from revealing the identity of the DOGE administrator when pressed by reporters. However, she previously stated in an interview with Fox News Channel that Musk has been tasked by the president to oversee the initiative.
Leavitt noted that decisions regarding layoffs are left to the leaders of individual agencies. She remarked, “Elon Musk, like everyone else in the federal government, operates under the direction of President Trump.”
The DOGE team has been actively navigating through various federal agencies, examining computer systems, scrutinizing budgets, and searching for inefficiencies, while facing an increasing number of lawsuits that allege law-breaking by Trump and DOGE. At least two of these lawsuits explicitly target Musk himself.
Recently, Musk proposed a radical approach for the federal government, suggesting the deletion of entire agencies as part of a broader strategy to substantially reduce spending and reconfigure national priorities.
During a hearing on Monday, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan expressed skepticism regarding claims made by Justice Department attorneys that Musk holds no official authority, stating, “I think you stretch too far. I disagree with you there.”
