White House says Elon Musk has no official role or decision-making power at D.O.G.E

Elon Musk has no official control over D.O.G.E, the White House confirmed on Monday, shutting down speculation that the billionaire has decision-making power in Trump’s government efficiency overhaul. The statement, filed in federal court, makes it clear: Elon can advise Trump, but he doesn’t run D.O.G.E.

The court filing, signed by Joshua Fisher, director of the Office of Administration, says that Elon is a senior White House adviser but has no authority to make government decisions. “Like other senior White House advisers, Mr. Elon has no actual or formal authority to make government decisions himself,” the document reads. It also confirms that Elon is not an employee of the Department of Government Efficiency (D.O.G.E), nor does he hold any administrative position within it.

Court battle over Elon’s access to federal systems

While Trump’s executive order gave D.O.G.E sweeping powers to eliminate waste, slash government jobs, and cut spending, it also triggered a wave of lawsuits. On Monday, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan held an emergency hearing after 13 Democratic attorneys general demanded an immediate block on Elon’s access to government data and his authority to fire federal employees.

The states claim Elon’s team has already used government databases to identify targets for mass layoffs and shut down federal programs. “The things I’m hearing are troubling indeed, but I have to have a record and findings of fact before I issue something,” Chutkan said during the hearing.

The lawsuit, filed in Washington, D.C., asks the court to bar D.O.G.E from accessing systems at seven agencies, including Labor, Education, Health and Human Services, Energy, Transportation, Commerce, and the Office of Personnel Management. It also seeks to prevent Elon’s team from firing or placing employees on leave.

Government lawyers couldn’t confirm whether mass firings had already happened. “The firing of thousands of federal employees is not a small or common thing. You haven’t been able to confirm that?” Chutkan pressed. A Justice Department attorney promised an update before the end of the day.

20 lawsuits challenge Elon’s role in D.O.G.E

At least 20 lawsuits are circulating in federal courts, all challenging Elon’s authority over D.O.G.E. The plaintiffs argue that Elon is exercising power that only Senate-confirmed officials should hold under the Appointments Clause of the U.S. Constitution.

Last Friday, U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas in New York extended an injunction blocking Elon’s team from accessing Treasury Department systems—which handle trillions of dollars in payments. Other judges, however, have ruled in favor of D.O.G.E, allowing Elon’s team to continue working in various agencies.

Trump and Elon insist the mission is simple: eliminate inefficiencies and streamline government operations. Critics, however, argue that D.O.G.E lacks oversight, operates in legal gray areas, and could destabilize key agencies.

Despite the legal challenges, D.O.G.E is pushing forward. The department has launched “D.O.G.E affiliate” accounts across federal agencies, including Agriculture, State, NASA, and Social Security, asking citizens to help identify waste and fraud.

On Monday, an official D.O.G.E affiliate account on X (formerly Twitter) put out a public call for tips about the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), saying, “D.O.G.E is asking for help from the public! Please DM this account with insights on finding and fixing waste, fraud, and abuse relating to the Securities and Exchange Commission.”

As lawsuits pile up, the fight over Elon’s role in D.O.G.E is far from over. With billions of taxpayer dollars and thousands of government jobs at stake, the court battles ahead could determine just how much power Trump’s efficiency machine really has.

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