According to statements from Joshua Fisher, director of the White House Office of Management, Elon Musk can only advise the president and communicate his directives. The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, mentioned in an interview that Musk has been tasked with overseeing DOGE on behalf of the president. Unlike the Office of Management and Budget, where DOGE is located, the White House Office is not subject to the Freedom of Information Act.
In a sworn statement filed in a case where Elon Musk has been accused of exceeding his authority by not being a Senate-confirmed government official, Fisher described the mogul's role. Even though he is considered the power behind DOGE, Fisher stated that Musk has no real or formal authority to make government decisions on his own. It was clarified that Musk is a senior advisor to the president, with no more authority than other senior advisors.
The United States Department of Justice provided clarification regarding Musk's role, indicating that government lawyers were unaware of any planned mass layoffs by federal agencies. This response addresses a question raised by a judge during a hearing. Regarding the management of DOGE, there remains uncertainty about who runs the entity if it is not Elon Musk, who has been visible on social media announcing agreements and consulting on decisions.
U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan is considering a request from the states for a temporary restraining order that would block Musk and DOGE staff from accessing internal systems of seven agencies. Musk has publicly denied having knowledge of DOGE, despite his presence on social media regarding the matter. A previous executive order designated the position of DOGE administrator, raising the question of who really runs the entity if it is not Elon Musk.
