Elon Musk’s role in the Trump administration is that of a senior adviser to the president, and not as an employee of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the White House has said.
The White House said in a court filing Mr Musk has no decision-making authority and can only advise the president and relay directives. It also emphasised that Mr Musk is not an employee of the US DOGE Service or its temporary organisation, nor is he the DOGE Service Administrator.
“Like other senior White House advisors, Mr Musk has no actual or formal authority to make government decisions himself,” it said, according to Reuters.
In December last year, Mr Trump said: “I am pleased to announce that the Great Elon Musk, working in conjunction with American Patriot Vivek Ramaswamy, will lead the Department of Government Efficiency.” Since then, and following Mr Ramaswamy’s departure from DOGE, Mr Trump has consistently referred to Mr Musk as its leader.
However, according to Joshua Fischer, Director of the Office of Administration at the White House, Mr Musk is neither the administrator nor an employee of DOGE. Instead, Mr Musk holds the title of “non-career special government employee” and serves as a senior adviser to the president.
The filing likened Mr Musk’s role to that of Anita Dunn, a long-time political adviser who also served as a senior adviser to former president Joe Biden.
“In his role as senior advisor to the president, Mr Musk has no greater authority than other senior White House advisors. Like other senior White House advisors, Mr Musk has no actual or formal authority to make government decisions,” the affidavit said.
DOGE, tasked with cutting wasteful spending, was introduced under Mr Trump’s second term, with Mr Musk overseeing the effort.
The court filing follows concerns raised by Judge Tanya Chutkan, who held a hearing on Tuesday in a case challenging the extent of Mr Musk’s authority. She expressed worries about the “unpredictable and scattershot” methods used by DOGE.
“DOGE appears to be moving in no sort of predictable and orderly fashion,” Ms Chutkan said. “This is essentially a private citizen directing an organisation that’s not a federal agency to have access to the entire workings of the federal government, fire, hire, slash, contract, terminate programs, all without apparently any congressional oversight.”
The court filing did not clarify who oversees DOGE, aside from ruling out Mr Musk. The lack of clarity regarding DOGE’s leadership extends beyond the public, with the Trump administration’s lawyers also uncertain about its organisation.
Following a court hearing on Friday about DOGE’s access to sensitive Treasury Department records, Christopher Healy, senior adviser to the Treasury Department’s general counsel, admitted: “I don't know the answer to that” when asked who runs DOGE.
