Elon Musk Not DOGE Employee, Has No Decision-Making Authority: White House

Elon Musk can only advise Trump and communicate the president’s directives, a White House official said.

The North Lawn of the White House is seen covered by snow in Washington, DC, on Feb. 11, 2025. Ting Shen/AFP via Getty Images

Elon Musk is not an employee of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and does not have the authority to make decisions, the White House said in new court filings on Feb. 17.

Both DOGE and a subunit of DOGE are separate from the White House office, which employs Musk as a special government employee who is a senior adviser to the president, White House official Joshua Fisher said in one of the documents.