Trump appoints Elon Musk as ‘special government employee’ heading up the shadowy DOGE
(Elon Musk, the richest man in the world and the newest special government employee under Donald Trump. Image credit: X)
Donald Trump’s newest fixer is not a lawyer in the likes of Michael Cohen or Rudy Guliana, but instead the richest man in the world, tech billionaire Elon Musk. We’ve all seen Musk on the Trump campaign trail and we know he funneled millions of dollars into Trump’s campaign coffers. And on Monday, Trump appointed Musk to be his presidential aide as a “special government employee.”
Because Musk’s position in the government isn’t a formal, permanent one but a contractual, temporary one, he was allowed to avoid things like federal security background checks and appears to be accountable only to Donald Trump, without being hindered by things like the higher ethical standards required of more formal government positions. As Trump’s special government employee, Musk can do Trump’s bidding for a total of 130 days per year without having to go through the full disclosure requirements of regular federal employees.
On Day one of Trump’s presidency, he created by executive order the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has been tasked with reducing the size of the federal government. Not a formal federal agency approved by Congress, many are referring to DOGE as Trump’s shadow government. Trump has placed Elon Musk in charge of that department. And Musk has been busy in that new role, wreaking havoc, sending federal employees into a panic, and going about the work of shutting down large swaths of the American government.
One of his initial and most controversial moves was to shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which he criticized as a “crazy waste of money.” Those employees were locked out of their computer systems, told to go home and the building was then occupied by Homeland Police.
Currently, workers at USAID are on mandatory leave. If USAID ceases to exist under Trump, thousands of federal worker will lose their jobs, according to CNN.
Musk also formed a team of young hackers to take over and control the computer systems of the U.S. Treasury Department so that they and he now have access to federal payment and spending systems – raising concerns about the consolidation of power. He has already consolidated control over large swaths of the federal government, “sidelining career officials, gaining access to sensitive databases and dismantling a leading source of humanitarian assistance.”
DOGE’s targets include the U.S. Agency for International Development, which closed its headquarters Monday in anticipation of shutting down entirely. Musk’s DOGE has staff members working at the Treasury Department, which pays the government’s bills, and he has said on X that he wants to slash or overhaul the Government Accountability Office and the Education Department. ~ NBC News
The ramifications of Musk’s actions have been profound. Supporters, both from the right and the left, believe that cost-cutting measures are necessary to reduce and streamline wasteful government spending. But those not happy with Musk’s new role in the government are concerned about potential conflicts of interest, given his extensive business dealings with the federal government through SpaceX and Tesla.
Critics worry that that Musk’s influence could lead to decisions that benefit his business interests at the expense of the American public. And there has been a fair amount of vocal opposition to Musk’s new role, especially in the wake of shutting down USAID, whose government website has now gone dark. Democrats especially argue that Musk’s actions lack accountability and transparency, with government officials worried that his broad latitude in carrying out Trump’s marching orders without any real governmental oversight could undermine democratic processes and lead to unchecked power.
The Justice Department has even threatened legal action against anyone who impedes Musk’s work, further intensifying the controversy surrounding the shutting down and dismantling of certain government agencies. And although no-one objects to identifying and curtailing wasteful spending of government dollars, his new role as Trump’s right-hand man has sparked considerable debate about the ethics and implications of Musk in that role.
Buckle up America. This is only the third week of the Trump / Musk administration. For more on Elon Musk’s new role as a special government employee, see the video accompanying this article.
–
Sources: NBC News, USA Today, MSN, Wisconsin Watch
Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today
Follow Richard on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram
