Elon Musk
Exited govt: 5/28/25 (reported)
Elon Musk was certainly the face and inspiration of DOGE, but it will likely be some time before we know the exact nature of his activities there. According to the official record, he was merely a humble advisor and DOGE was actually run by Amy Gleason. In actuality, it appears that Musk was setting the high-level direction of DOGE, with the daily operations conducted by deputies like Steve Davis, Anthony Armstrong or even Baris Akis. Musk was particularly preoccupied with finding instances of waste and fraud that he was certain was rampant everywhere in the government, and a lot of DOGE’s early involvement at the Treasury and SSA was in chasing down false alarms and misinformation triggered by DOGE’s poor understanding of data or even how the government worked. After his relationship soured with Trump, Musk left DOGE in late May, followed by multiple resignations of other DOGE allies leaving before the winds shifted. This didn’t mark the end of DOGE however, and the remaining staff are largely still carrying forward the same mission they started with.
Positions
Appointed:
1/20/25-5/28/25
Offboarding:
Left govt 5/28/25 (reported)
Appointed:
1/20/25-5/28/25
Offboarding:
Left govt 5/28/25 (reported)
Events
11/15/24
Sighting:
Elon Musk and Russell Vought meet each other for the first time at Mar-a-Lago. They reportedly got along very well, with “both on the same wavelength in terms of taking the most extreme action possible.”
Sighting:
Elon Musk and Russell Vought meet each other for the first time at Mar-a-Lago. They reportedly got along very well, with “both on the same wavelength in terms of taking the most extreme action possible.”
| Person: | Elon Musk, Russell Vought |
| Source: | The Shadow President Pro Publica, 10/17/25 |
| Agency: | DOGE |
12/06/24
Identification:
A report on the tech billionaires steering Trump’s transition mentions Elon Musk and other names we now know to be DOGE staffers, and it describes how they have been interviewing people at Mar-a-Lago.
Identification:
A report on the tech billionaires steering Trump’s transition mentions Elon Musk and other names we now know to be DOGE staffers, and it describes how they have been interviewing people at Mar-a-Lago.
| Person: | Baris Akis, Elon Musk, Jared Birchall, Marc Andreessen, Michael Kratsios, Scott Kupor, Shaun Maguire, Steve Davis |
| Source: | The Silicon Valley Billionaires Steering Trump’s Transition The New York Times, 12/06/24 |
| Agency: | DOGE |
1/20/25
c.1/25/25
Report:
Elon Musk makes an official request to the White House for Baris Akis to be allowed to work for DOGE, even though he is a noncitizen and it wouldn’t normally be allowed. His request is denied.
Report:
Elon Musk makes an official request to the White House for Baris Akis to be allowed to work for DOGE, even though he is a noncitizen and it wouldn’t normally be allowed. His request is denied.
| Question: | Fuzz: date not given, but source published Feb 4th |
| Person: | Baris Akis, Elon Musk |
| Source: | Trump Advisers Stopped Musk From Hiring a Noncitizen at DOGE The Atlantic, 2/04/25 |
| Agency: | DOGE |
1/30/25
Interagency Coordination:
Elon Musk reportedly visits GSA to meet with staff, several of whom are identified from their appearances in the internal directory for the agency. These include Steve Davis, Nicole Hollander, Thomas Shedd, Stephen Ehikian and Luke Farritor.
Interagency Coordination:
Elon Musk reportedly visits GSA to meet with staff, several of whom are identified from their appearances in the internal directory for the agency. These include Steve Davis, Nicole Hollander, Thomas Shedd, Stephen Ehikian and Luke Farritor.
| Person: | Elon Musk, Luke Farritor, Nicole Hollander, Stephen Ehikian, Steve Davis, Thomas Shedd |
| Source: | Musk visits and asserts growing influence at GSA NextGov, 1/30/25 |
| Agency: | DOGE, GSA |
Disruption:
Jeremy Lewin and Elon Musk order the acting head of USAID to comply with orders to lock every USAID employee worldwide out of all email and other communication systems. He refuses, stating that a sudden loss of access could get aid workers killed.
Disruption:
Jeremy Lewin and Elon Musk order the acting head of USAID to comply with orders to lock every USAID employee worldwide out of all email and other communication systems. He refuses, stating that a sudden loss of access could get aid workers killed.
| Person: | Elon Musk, Jeremy Lewin, Peter Marocco |
| Source: | Within two weeks of President Trump’s return to the White House, U.S.A.I.D. was on the cusp of oblivion The New York Times, 6/22/25 |
| Agency: | USAID |
| DOGE Project: | Elimination, Impunity |
2/04/25
Interagency Coordination:
One of AFGE’s members who works in the headquarters of the Department received an instruction from Department leadership that Elon Musk and his DOGE team would be accessing Department of Labor headquarters beginning around 4 p.m. on February 5, 2025. This member and other employees were told by Department leadership that when Mr. Musk and his team visit, they are to do whatever they ask, not to push back, not to ask questions. They were told to provide access to any DOL system they requested access to and not to worry about any security protocols; “just do it.”
Interagency Coordination:
One of AFGE’s members who works in the headquarters of the Department received an instruction from Department leadership that Elon Musk and his DOGE team would be accessing Department of Labor headquarters beginning around 4 p.m. on February 5, 2025. This member and other employees were told by Department leadership that when Mr. Musk and his team visit, they are to do whatever they ask, not to push back, not to ask questions. They were told to provide access to any DOL system they requested access to and not to worry about any security protocols; “just do it.”
| Person: | Elon Musk |
| Source: | AFL-CIO v. DOL, doc 29-8 Court Document, 2/12/25 |
| Agency: | DOGE, DOL |
| DOGE Project: | Impunity |
2/07/25
| Person: | Elon Musk |
| Source: | Musk’s DOGE Descends on CFPB With Eyes on Shutting It Down Bloomberg Law, 2/07/25 |
| Agency: | CFPB |
| DOGE Project: | Deregulation, Elimination |
2/09/25
Official Action:
Elon Musk posts more tweets claiming to have discovered sources of “massive fraud” within the SSA. These appear to be a misunderstanding of how erroneous records that exist in the SSA database are already filtered out from receiving benefits. Instead, he assumed that all erroneous records had received benefits and thus this was the massive fraud.
Official Action:
Elon Musk posts more tweets claiming to have discovered sources of “massive fraud” within the SSA. These appear to be a misunderstanding of how erroneous records that exist in the SSA database are already filtered out from receiving benefits. Instead, he assumed that all erroneous records had received benefits and thus this was the massive fraud.
| Person: | Elon Musk |
| Source: | Tweet by Elon Musk X.com, 2/09/25 |
| Agency: | SSA |
| DOGE Project: | Fraud |
2/16/25
Official Action:
Elon Musk posts a tweet claiming that DOGE had uncovered fraud of millions of people older than 120 who were collecting social security payments: “Maybe Twilight is real and there are a lot of vampires collecting Social Security.” This data issue is real, but there is no indication that millions of people were receiving improper payments
Official Action:
Elon Musk posts a tweet claiming that DOGE had uncovered fraud of millions of people older than 120 who were collecting social security payments: “Maybe Twilight is real and there are a lot of vampires collecting Social Security.” This data issue is real, but there is no indication that millions of people were receiving improper payments
| Person: | Elon Musk |
| Source: | Tweet by Elon Musk X.com, 2/16/25 |
| Agency: | SSA |
| DOGE Project: | Fraud |
3/12/25
Interagency Coordination:
Elon Musk visits the National Security Agency (NSA) to meet with its top administrator, General Timothy Haugh
Interagency Coordination:
Elon Musk visits the National Security Agency (NSA) to meet with its top administrator, General Timothy Haugh
| Person: | Elon Musk |
| Source: | Elon Musk Made Visit to U.S. Spy Agency The Wall Street Journal, 3/13/25 |
| Agency: | DOGE, NSA |
3/21/25
Sighting:
Elon Musk arrives at the Pentagon for a meeting with leadership, reportedly to discuss DOGE’s involvement at the agency.
Sighting:
Elon Musk arrives at the Pentagon for a meeting with leadership, reportedly to discuss DOGE’s involvement at the agency.
| Person: | Elon Musk |
| Source: | Elon Musk to visit Pentagon to discuss DOGE reforms and China, officials say The Washington Post, 3/20/25 |
| Agency: | DOD |
c.3/26/25
Identification:
In a later interview, Sahil Lavingia describes attending an “E-meeting” for DOGE that included Elon Musk but was essentially run by Steve Davis as well as two other Musk loyalists, Anthony Armstrong and Baris Akis. Baris Akis is notably not an employee of DOGE, since he is a foreign national and Musk was not granted a waiver to hire him.
Identification:
In a later interview, Sahil Lavingia describes attending an “E-meeting” for DOGE that included Elon Musk but was essentially run by Steve Davis as well as two other Musk loyalists, Anthony Armstrong and Baris Akis. Baris Akis is notably not an employee of DOGE, since he is a foreign national and Musk was not granted a waiver to hire him.
| Question: | Fuzz: date is given as “late March,” assuming a Wednesday bc others reported DOGE meetings during that time |
| Person: | Anthony Armstrong, Baris Akis, Elon Musk, Steve Davis |
| Source: | WIRED Talked to a Fired DOGE Staffer About Who Was Really in Charge Wired Magazine, 5/29/25 |
| Agency: | DOGE |
| DOGE Project: | Impunity |
3/27/25
3/30/25
Disruption:
During campaign rallies in Wisconsin, Elon Musk and Antonio Gracias publish a chart claiming to show an increase in social security numbers being granted to noncitizens as evidence of voting fraud or benefits fraud by immigrants. The problem is that these numbers are necessary for immigrants to work in roles, and are used for paying taxes rather than receiving benefits, and the statistics were from a program to replace a more cumbersome process for assigning SSN IDs. Based on this interpretation, the Trump Administration argued for a change where applicants would have to instead visit an already overstretched field office, a change that is likely to both reduce tax income from immigrant workers and increase the per-person cost from $8 to $51,000.
Disruption:
During campaign rallies in Wisconsin, Elon Musk and Antonio Gracias publish a chart claiming to show an increase in social security numbers being granted to noncitizens as evidence of voting fraud or benefits fraud by immigrants. The problem is that these numbers are necessary for immigrants to work in roles, and are used for paying taxes rather than receiving benefits, and the statistics were from a program to replace a more cumbersome process for assigning SSN IDs. Based on this interpretation, the Trump Administration argued for a change where applicants would have to instead visit an already overstretched field office, a change that is likely to both reduce tax income from immigrant workers and increase the per-person cost from $8 to $51,000.
| Person: | Antonio Gracias, Elon Musk |
| Source: | Musk floats falsehoods about Social Security, immigrants as DOGE seeks changes The Washington Post, 4/01/25 |
| Agency: | SSA |
| DOGE Project: | Fraud |
3/31/25
5/14/25
| Person: | Elon Musk |
| Source: | RFK Jr. to Congress: ‘I don’t think people should be taking medical advice from me’ The Washington Post, 5/14/25 |
| Agency: | HHS |
5/22/25
Interagency Coordination:
Elon Musk joins a late-night meeting with senior members of the DOGE leadership team. Katie Miller delivered a blunt message that DOGE was on thin ice with the White House. She also reportedly advised that DOGE should strive to collaborate with Cabinet secretaries more instead of pushiing cuts or projects on them that they didn’t want to do.
Interagency Coordination:
Elon Musk joins a late-night meeting with senior members of the DOGE leadership team. Katie Miller delivered a blunt message that DOGE was on thin ice with the White House. She also reportedly advised that DOGE should strive to collaborate with Cabinet secretaries more instead of pushiing cuts or projects on them that they didn’t want to do.
| Person: | Anthony Armstrong, Antonio Gracias, Elon Musk, Katie Miller, Steve Davis |
| Source: | Inside the DOGE Succession Drama Elon Musk Left Behind Politico, 11/21/25 |
| Agency: | DOGE, EOP |
5/28/25
| Appointed: | Elon Musk 1/20/25-5/28/25 |
Offboarding:
Elon Musk claims on his X.com account that he has ended his time as a Special Government Employee but that he remains on good terms with the team.
Offboarding:
Elon Musk claims on his X.com account that he has ended his time as a Special Government Employee but that he remains on good terms with the team.
| Person: | Elon Musk |
| Source: | A Disillusioned Musk, Distanced From Trump, Says He’s Exiting Washington The New York Times, 5/28/25 |
| Agency: | DOGE |
5/31/25
Offboarding:
After smiling with Trump at a press conference at the White House, Elon Musk convened DOGE staff for a private farewell at his office in the Old Executive Office Building. He reportedly urged DOGE to rethink its methods and that the next iteration of DOGE should be decentralized and work more collaboratively with agency leadership. Steve Davis joined in by telephone and stated that he did not intend to go anywhere, which many interpreted to mean that he would be hired into a new role.
Offboarding:
After smiling with Trump at a press conference at the White House, Elon Musk convened DOGE staff for a private farewell at his office in the Old Executive Office Building. He reportedly urged DOGE to rethink its methods and that the next iteration of DOGE should be decentralized and work more collaboratively with agency leadership. Steve Davis joined in by telephone and stated that he did not intend to go anywhere, which many interpreted to mean that he would be hired into a new role.
| Person: | Elon Musk, Steve Davis |
| Source: | Inside the DOGE Succession Drama Elon Musk Left Behind Politico, 11/21/25 |
| Agency: | DOGE |
6/10/25
Report:
Despite having left government service, Elon Musk, Steve Davis and Katie Miller reportedly tell top DOGE staff at an all-hands meeting that Musk continues to back their work and they should continue to stay the course.
Report:
Despite having left government service, Elon Musk, Steve Davis and Katie Miller reportedly tell top DOGE staff at an all-hands meeting that Musk continues to back their work and they should continue to stay the course.
| Person: | Elon Musk, Katie Miller, Steve Davis |
| Source: | The Fight Between Musk Acolytes and the White House for Control of DOGE The Wall Street Journal, 6/08/25 |
| Agency: | DOGE |
11/22/25
Report:
Many current and former members of DOGE reportedly hold a reunion in Austin, Texas where Elon Musk and Steve Davis are expected to attend and it’s likely there will be discussions on the future of DOGE.
Report:
Many current and former members of DOGE reportedly hold a reunion in Austin, Texas where Elon Musk and Steve Davis are expected to attend and it’s likely there will be discussions on the future of DOGE.
| Person: | Elon Musk, Steve Davis |
| Source: | Inside the DOGE Succession Drama Elon Musk Left Behind Politico, 11/21/25 |
| Agency: | DOGE |
2/05/26
Legal:
A federal judge ruled that Elon Musk and senior State Department officials must sit for depositions about their roles in dismantling USAID. The judge cited the lack of documentation and no cooperation from other State Department staff as the reason there was “no alternative” to ordering the depositions.
Legal:
A federal judge ruled that Elon Musk and senior State Department officials must sit for depositions about their roles in dismantling USAID. The judge cited the lack of documentation and no cooperation from other State Department staff as the reason there was “no alternative” to ordering the depositions.
| Person: | Elon Musk |
| Source: | Elon Musk, State Department workers to be deposed over DOGE dismantling USAID Axios, 2/05/26 |
| Agency: | DOGE, State, USAID |
3/04/26
| Person: | Elon Musk, Jeremy Lewin, Peter Marocco |
| Source: | Elon Musk Deposition Blocked by Appeals Court in DOGE Fight Bloomberg Government, 3/04/26 |
| Agency: | USAID |