The White House has bizarrely stated that Elon Musk is not the official head, or even an employee, of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
In court papers it said Musk’s title was ‘senior adviser to the president’ and that he is ‘not the U.S. DOGE Service Administrator.’
Musk continues to take heat from critics for spearheading an effort to cut spending and employees in the federal government.
Democrats and protesting federal employees have been berating Musk over broad cuts, complaining that he is not an elected official.
Director of the Office of Administration Joshua Fisher clarified for the courts that Musk was officially a ‘Special Government Employee.’
‘In his role as senior advisor to the president, Mr. Musk has no greater authority than other senior White House advisors,’ the court filing noted, adding that he had ‘no actual or formal authority’ to make government decisions by himself.
Fisher noted that former President Joe Biden also had ‘Special Government Employees’ such as communications advisor Anita Dunn.
Musk, he clarified, was a White House employee and not an employee or service administrator of DOGE which is a temporary organization within the executive office of the president.
Elon Musk listens to U.S. President Donald Trump speak in the Oval Office of the White House
Elon Musk gives remarks to the media in the Oval Office of the White House, as he meets with US President Donald Trump
President Trump continues to emphasize that Musk is working on his behalf.
Last week Trump brought in Musk to the Oval Office to talk to the press about the cuts and the waste he was finding in the federal government.
‘He’s a big businessman. He’s a successful guy. That’s why we want him doing this. We don’t want an unsuccessful guy doing this’ Trump said.
The president has also tried to reassure Americans that he and his administration was watching Musk for conflicts of interest or a lack of transparency.
But Democrats continue protesting Musk’s efforts as the Trump administration continues making sweeping cuts across the federal government.
Thousands of protesters rallied on Presidents Day in Washington, DC and other major cities in a ‘Not My President’ rally as many of the signs condemned Musk as acting as an unelected DOGE ‘king.’
A demonstrator protests against US President Donald Trump’s policies and executive orders during the US holiday, Presidents’ Day
People participate in a “TeslaTakedown” protest against Elon Musk
Thousands of people attend a protest at the U.S. Capitol against actions taken by Elon Musk, Donald Trump, and the Department of Government Efficiency
‘Elon Take Your Nazis and Go to Mars,’ one sign read. Other signs read ‘Burn a Tesla, Save Democracy. and ‘Deport Nazi Musk,’ and ‘You Can’t Spell Felon Without Elon.’
Despite criticism for Musk, Trump continues to stand by his efforts.
‘We got elected to, among other things, find all of this fraud, abuse, all of this horrible stuff going on,’ he told reporters in the Oval Office.
DOGE continues to wreak havoc in the federal government as Michelle King, the acting head of the Social Security Administration (SSA,) quit her job after a dispute over the department data.
Trump appointed Leland Dudek, a manager in charge of Social Security’s anti-fraud office according to the Washington Post to replace her while he awaits the confirmation of his chosen commissioner Frank Bisignano in the Senate.
The White House defended the DOGE movements in an interview on Fox News on Monday evening.
‘President Trump has directed Elon Musk and the DOGE team to identify fraud at the social security administration,’ Leavitt said adding that the team suspected ‘tens of millions’ of deceased people receiving fraudulent payments.
‘There are a lot of unanswered questions,’ she added.
