Abdelrahman
Tech tycoon Elon Musk has solidified his influence within the government this week, following an executive order signed by President Donald Trump that grants him extensive powers to dictate hiring and firing processes for federal employees.
As the weekend approaches, Musk stands out not just as the world’s richest individual but, as one critic noted, as potentially the “most influential bureaucrat in American history.”
In just three weeks, Musk’s position at the forefront of the newly established “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) has drastically exceeded initial expectations, giving rise to serious discussions about a potential constitutional crisis and triggering numerous legal challenges. Headlines frequently unveil new directives from DOGE that include establishing regulations for government agencies, marginalizing certain officials, and terminating career professionals while slashing budgets for certain initiatives.
The latest executive order signed by Trump on Tuesday enables large-scale layoffs throughout the federal workforce, establishing a “DOGE Team Lead” for each agency and instructing cabinet secretaries and agency heads to align staffing decisions with Musk’s directives.
This order further grants DOGE the ability to prevent agencies from hiring new personnel unless the top official at that agency explicitly overrides that decision. Additionally, a strict new guideline mandates that for every four employees let go as part of DOGE’s assessment, only one new hire can be made, with certain exceptions for law enforcement and immigration.
During the Oval Office signing ceremony, Musk addressed accusations that he has become the very thing he claims to oppose—a powerful unelected official—by referencing results from the 2024 election: “You couldn’t ask for a stronger public mandate.”
However, he incorrectly stated that “a majority of the voters supported President Trump” in November. (Trump fell slightly short of a majority, securing only 49.8% of the popular vote.)
Musk asserted, “The public called for significant governmental reform; there’s no doubt about it. That was a key theme throughout the campaign, and the president emphasized it at every rally. The people voted for substantial government reform, and that’s exactly what they will receive.”
Even some who initially feared Trump’s resurgence are taken aback by the swift accumulation of largely unchecked authority held by Musk as he consolidates power within federal agencies.
Numerous congressional Democrats have taken to referring to him as “President Elon Musk.” Last week, Time Magazine showcased a striking cover featuring an edited image of Musk sitting alone at the president’s Resolute Desk, a stark contrast to the earlier portrayal of him as merely a citizen with influence.
“He’s the foremost bureaucrat in American history, wielding far more power than any cabinet member without having undergone Senate confirmation,” stated Robert Weissman, co-president of Public Citizen, a progressive advocacy group. “He operates with an unprecedented level of autonomy. It’s unimaginable that anyone expected this to unfold.”
“We refer to him as the co-president,” Weissman continued.
Donald Sherman, chief counsel at Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington—a liberal watchdog group—remarked that “Musk has been granted more authority than any other individual campaigning, including Trump’s own running mate.”
“If bureaucrats hold the reins of power, what does democracy truly signify?” Musk questioned during his 30-minute discussion with Trump, dismissing claims that he is undermining democratic institutions.
The Growing Divide
The rapid pace and vast extent of Musk’s actions have sent shockwaves through Washington.
Initially, this was evident in the Treasury Department, where a veteran official made an unexpected retirement decision after resisting DOGE’s push for access to a highly sensitive payment processing system. Subsequently, Musk’s allies gained control, and attempted to leverage it to obstruct foreign aid, until a judge intervened.
Trump and the DOGE team have fixated on agencies that have long been criticized by the GOP, such as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), which oversees credit cards, mortgages, and student loans. A loyalist to Trump was appointed as its acting head, effectively freezing its operations. Musk enthusiastically tweeted “CFPB RIP” with a tombstone emoji just last week.
Moreover, Musk has criticized federal spending based on dubious or entirely disproven claims stemming from right-wing conspiracy theories propagated on his social media platform, X (formerly Twitter).
This is evident in DOGE’s disbanding of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), reportedly partly based on the absurd claim that it had allocated $50 million for condoms for Hamas in Gaza. Musk acknowledged on Tuesday that the figure was inaccurate.
What Will Congress Do?
CNN has reported that some Republicans are becoming increasingly worried about Musk encroaching on Congress’ financial authority, particularly concerning USAID. Several GOP lawmakers have engaged with the largest federal employee union, seeking strategies to reclaim Congress’ role in determining budget cuts and allocations during the forthcoming government funding debate.
Several Republican legislators indicated to CNN that they are hearing from federal workers in their constituencies who are distressed by DOGE’s aggressive efforts to trim workforce numbers through mass terminations.
“Congress members are overwhelmed with calls urging action against Elon Musk, and such public outcry can lead to change” noted Weissman from Public Citizen, labeling the situation a “five-alarm fire” that is “unprecedented and dangerous.”
Yet, during the initial DOGE subcommittee hearing in the House, the private concerns of some Republicans were not evident, as chair Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene praised Musk’s initiative against “massive” spending that places Americans “in debt slavery.”
On the other hand, Rep. Melanie Stansbury, the leading Democrat on the panel from New Mexico, criticized Trump and Musk for “recklessly and illegally dismantling the federal government.” While acknowledging “ample opportunity for bipartisan collaboration” on government reform, she insisted that “we can’t merely act as if everything remains normal.”
Progressive groups, including Public Citizen, are rapidly moving to counter Musk in the courts, which may be one of the last effective defenses against abuses of power. They have already achieved some initial victories, preventing DOGE from accessing the Treasury payment system and reinstating funding for critical medical research.
“It’s hard to fathom that judges would want to hinder our pursuit of corruption,” remarked Trump during his appearance with Musk on Tuesday, taking aim at the recent judicial decisions.
Concentrated Power and Emerging Conflicts
Organizations advocating for good governance are raising alarms about potential conflicts of interest surrounding Musk.
As a prominent entrepreneur with connections to Tesla, Starlink, and SpaceX, along with other ventures, Musk holds significant government contracts, yet his firms are also under scrutiny from the very agencies that DOGE is now restructuring or eliminating.
“The administration has made concerted efforts to employ every possible means to shield DOGE and Mr. Musk from the standards of public transparency and accountability that apply to government personnel,” commented Sherman of the watchdog group CREW.
A lawsuit filed on Tuesday will challenge the administration’s choice to classify DOGE’s internal communications as “presidential records,” which would keep them confidential until at least 2034. The lawsuit, initiated by American Oversight, a watchdog organization, asserts that DOGE should be subject to the Freedom of Information Act, allowing for faster public access to information.
Recently, the White House revealed Musk’s role as a special government employee, which means his financial disclosures will remain private.
Furthermore, it will be Musk himself—rather than an independent authority—who determines whether he should recuse himself from any discussions or decisions due to potential business conflicts, as per a recent White House announcement. Trump, during their joint appearance in the Oval Office on Tuesday, assured that he would ensure Musk avoids any potential conflicts while leading DOGE.
“If we believed such a thing, we wouldn’t allow him to engage in that domain,” said Trump. “If we thought there was a transparency issue or a conflict of interest, we would monitor that closely.”
“The Democrats are becoming increasingly detached from reality in their outcry over DOGE,” asserted White House spokesman Harrison Fields in response to transparency concerns.
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