Elon Musk: Judge rules billionaire’s DOGE role is permanent
A federal judge in Washington, DC has ruled that Elon Musk holds a “continuing and permanent” role within the federal government and DOGE, rejecting the White House’s claim that the billionaire entrepreneur was merely serving in an advisory capacity.
The decision allows a high-profile lawsuit brought by 14 US states to move forward against Musk, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), and President Donald Trump.
Led by New Mexico, the states have argued that Musk lacks the legal authority to lead sweeping federal reforms, including deep budget cuts, agency closures, and regulatory rollbacks.
Their suit claimed DOGE’s actions have resulted in unauthorised access to private systems and sensitive data, all without congressional authorisation for formal appointment.
In her ruling, Judge Tanya Chutkan dismissed the White House’s motion to characterise Musk’s involvement as temporary, finding instead that he “exercises significant authority” within the executive branch.
The judge also accepted that the states had demonstrated sufficient potential harm, particularly from alleged breaches of data security and overreach by DOGE.
Chutkan did, however, agree to dismiss Trump from the case, citing legal precedent that courts may not block a president’s official duties.
She emphasised that, under the Constitution, the president holds broad discretion in appointing officials, even if only informally.
Elon Musk’s role has broader governance and policy implications
The ruling intensifies scrutiny of Musk’s informal leadership of the department, a Trump-era agency he has used to push aggressive cost-cutting measures and digitisation efforts.
Musk’s initiatives have included dismantling federal IT infrastructure, as well as streamlining bureaucratic systems and pushing for steep workforce reductions- moves which critics have said overstep legal bounds.
Musk’s influence has also become a source of political contention. Despite his heavy financial backing of Trump’s 2024 campaign, he has recently voiced frustration with the administration’s fiscal policy.
In an interview with CBS, the controversial billionaire criticised a $3.8 trillion spending package that passed the House by a narrow margin, warning it could undermine DOGE’s work.
“A bill can be big or it can be beautiful, but I don’t know if it can be both”, he said.
The legislation, dubbed the “big and beautiful bill” by Trump, aims to extend tax cuts and fund border security while slashing federal programs such as Medicaid.
The Congressional Budget Office has warned of sweeping impacts, including the potential loss of health coverage for over eight million Americans.