Musk not DOGE employee, has no decision-making authority: White House
What's the story
The White House has released a statement clarifying that Elon Musk, despite being a senior adviser to President Donald Trump, doesn't have any decision-making power in the administration. He is also not an employee of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the statement added. The clarifications were made in a court filing signed by Joshua Fisher, Director of the Office of Administration at the White House.
Position
Musk's role in DOGE and ongoing legal challenges
The clarifications come amid a lawsuit against Musk by state of New Mexico and around 20 other suits questioning his authority within DOGE. Since Trump started his second term, DOGE has been overhauling government operations under Musk's leadership, cutting thousands of jobs across federal departments.
Government efficiency
Musk's appointment and DOGE's goal
Trump appointed Musk to head DOGE with the goal of shrinking the federal workforce and cutting wasteful programs. An executive order from the US President ordered agency heads to prepare for "large-scale reductions." Despite the changes, the White House insists Musk's position is strictly advisory and does not involve formal decision-making authority.