Elon Musk is Not the Administrator of DOGE – Senior Advisor to President Donald Trump – White House

Elon Musk is Not the Administrator of DOGE – Senior Advisor to President Donald Trump – White House

Washington, February 19: The White House has stated that billionaire Elon Musk is not the administrator of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which is carrying out sweeping processes through federal agencies, but rather a senior advisor to President Donald Trump.

Musk's exact role could be significant in the legal battle over access to government data, as the Trump administration is preparing to lay off thousands of federal workers. Identifying him as an advisor, rather than the person in charge of the day-to-day operations of DOGE, could assist the administration in dealing with a lawsuit that argues Musk has too much power for someone who is neither elected nor Senate-confirmed.

This declaration was filed on Monday as the Trump administration faces multiple lawsuits from Democratic states that oppose Musk and the DOGE team's access to government systems. The litigants argue that Musk is wielding "virtually unchecked power," which they claim violates the Constitution. On the other hand, the Trump administration states that Musk "has no actual authority to make government decisions himself," according to Joshua Fisher, Director of the White House Office of Administration, in court documents. The documents do not identify the administrator of DOGE, although Musk has expressed support for the department's work in posts on his social media platform X and in a public appearance at the White House.

The DOGE team has been visiting various agencies, accessing computer systems, reviewing budgets, and searching for waste, fraud, and abuse. However, lawsuits are piling up, accusing Trump and DOGE of violating the law. At least two lawsuits are directly targeting Musk.

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan expressed skepticism during a hearing on Monday when Justice Department lawyers asserted that Musk has no formal authority.

"I think you stretch too far. I disagree with you there," Chutkan commented.