The White House has clarified that Elon Musk serves as a Senior Advisor to President Donald Trump but does not hold the position of Administrator within the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). In a recent court filing, Joshua Fisher, Director of the White House Office of Administration, stated that Musk is a non-career Special Government Employee with advisory responsibilities, possessing no greater authority than other senior White House advisors. Fisher emphasized, “Mr. Musk is not the U.S. DOGE Service Administrator.”
This clarification comes amid legal challenges from 14 Democratic attorneys general who allege that Musk and DOGE have caused significant disruptions within federal agencies. The lawsuit contends that DOGE’s actions have “unraveled federal agencies, accessed sensitive data, and caused widespread disruption for state and local governments, federal employees, and the American people,” asserting that DOGE “endangers cybersecurity and erodes public trust.”
In response, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan noted that the lawsuit appears to be based on media reports and cautioned against judicial action without concrete evidence. She remarked, “The courts can’t act based on media reports. We can’t do that.”
The Department of Justice has further clarified that while Musk and his team provide recommendations, the implementation of personnel decisions and budgetary cuts is executed by officials within the respective federal agencies. This distinction underscores Musk’s role as an advisor without direct decision-making authority over government operations.
These developments highlight the ongoing debate over the scope and influence of Musk’s involvement in federal government restructuring efforts.