By Myrek Zastavnyi
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The White House confirmed Monday that Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been designated a special government employee under the Trump administration amid growing scrutiny over his involvement in the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The designation, which allows Musk to work with the federal government for up to 130 days without full disclosure of financial interests, has sparked concerns among Democratic lawmakers and watchdog groups.
Kathleen Clark, a government ethics professor at the Washington University School of Law, said that Musk’s new designation could be a way to avoid disclosing publicly his finances and any conflicts.
“If they do not make public his financial disclosure, it may make it impossible for the public and nongovernmental organizations and journalists to hold him and the government accountable and make sure he does not participate in matters where he has conflicts,” she said.
Speaking to reporters, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that Musk “has abided by all applicable federal laws”, though she did not clarify whether he holds a security clearance. President Donald Trump downplayed concerns over Musk’s potential conflicts of interest, emphasizing that “he can’t do and won’t do anything without our approval.”
Musk’s role at DOGE has become a flashpoint, particularly after the agency gained access to the U.S. Treasury’s payment system, which processes over $5 trillion in transactions annually, including sensitive Social Security and bank account information. Musk has previously stated that cutting waste, fraud, and abuse could save the government $1 trillion, though it remains unclear what his specific plans for the system entail.
Democratic Lawmakers Sound the Alarm
The move has drawn sharp criticism from Democratic leaders, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) calling it an “unlawful and dangerous power grab” and demanding that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent revoke Musk’s access.
“That’s the biggest data hack ever in the world,” added Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.).
Schumer also questioned the legitimacy of DOGE itself, writing on X (formerly Twitter) that “DOGE isn’t a real government agency” and lacks the authority to control spending or shut down programs.
In response, Musk dismissed the outrage as “hysterical”, defending DOGE as “the one shot the American people have to defeat BUREAUcracy and restore DEMOcracy”.
Meanwhile, a coalition of retirees and union workers sued the Treasury Department on Monday, seeking to halt the transfer of personal and financial data to DOGE. The lawsuit, filed in District of Columbia federal court, argues that the scale of privacy intrusion is “massive and unprecedented”.
DOJ Prepares Prosecutions Over Threats to DOGE Employees
Amid the political firestorm, the U.S. Department of Justice is now weighing legal action against individuals and groups accused of targeting DOGE employees.
In a statement posted on X, Acting U.S. Attorney Ed Martin announced that his office had contacted the FBI and other law enforcement agencies to “proceed rapidly” against those threatening DOGE workers.
“We must keep all of our American government employees safe, and we must protect the American people’s property,” Martin wrote, stating that DOGE staff had been publicly targeted.
Though Martin did not provide specifics, a recent Wired magazine report identified six individuals allegedly working for DOGE, raising concerns about potential threats. Additionally, a now-banned Reddit forum was found to contain posts calling for violent action against DOGE personnel.
Musk personally thanked Martin for his support, reposting screenshots of Reddit users allegedly advocating for the execution of DOGE employees.
DOGE’s Future and USAID Takeover
Beyond the Treasury, Musk and Trump have also set their sights on restructuring the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which both have criticized as lacking accountability.
On Monday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that he is now acting director of USAID, calling the agency’s staff “unresponsive” and suggesting its future remains uncertain.
With Trump’s administration moving aggressively to reshape the federal government, the battle over DOGE—and Musk’s involvement—seems far from over. Whether through legal challenges, congressional oversight, or law enforcement actions, the coming weeks are likely to see intensified scrutiny of Musk’s role and DOGE’s unprecedented access to federal resources.
