Special Poll
A Trump administration personnel official has clarified that Elon Musk does not hold any official or formal authority to make government decisions regarding the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
In a sworn statement, the official, Fisher, confirmed that Musk is not the official administrator of DOGE, which was established as an office within the Executive Office of the President under Trump. However, Fisher did not specify who is actually in charge, leaving lingering questions about DOGE’s leadership and decision-making process.
Despite this technical designation, Musk appears to be the de facto decision-maker for DOGE. The office has been staffed with his allies, and Musk himself has publicly touted its work, discussed his influence over its operations, and appeared alongside Trump to promote its mission.
Trump has also openly credited Musk with leading DOGE. During a Super Bowl interview with Fox News anchor Bret Baier, Trump stated, “I’m going to tell [Elon Musk] very soon, like maybe in 24 hours, to go check the Department of Education. He’s going to find the same thing … Then I’m going to go, go to the military. Let’s check the military.”
Fisher’s statement, however, introduces a technical degree of separation, raising concerns about who is actually accountable for DOGE’s actions. The office has rapidly expanded, raising alarms among federal employees and increasing fears of potential data breaches within some of the government’s most sensitive databases.
Fisher compared Musk’s role to that of Anita Dunn, a senior adviser to President Joe Biden, who held a similar title and employment designation in the White House.
His statement was submitted to U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who is currently considering a legal challenge by Democratic attorneys general seeking to block Musk and his DOGE allies from continuing to exert influence over the federal government. The lawsuit argues that Musk has amassed so much power that he is violating the Constitution’s “Appointments Clause,” which requires senior executive branch officials to be confirmed by the Senate.