Ted Malaska

Coder
Tech Industry Links: SpaceX
Exited govt: 6/02/25 (reported)
One of the four SpaceX engineers who were brought into the FAA on an ad hoc basis, he was only approved to work for 4 days at the agency. It seems like that term was extended however, only to be revoked in the wake of Elon Musk’s departure. Ted was also named in several reports where he promised to steamroll any federal staff who got in his way.

Positions

Appointed:
2/16/25-6/02/25 Senior Advisor NTE 2/20/25
Offboarding:
Left govt 6/02/25 (reported)
Source: A diminished DOGE reels from the departure of the ‘Dogefather,’ Elon Musk The Washington Post, 6/08/25

Events

2/16/25
Appointed:
Ted Malaska starts as Senior Advisor at FAA.
Appointed: Ted Malaska 2/16/25-6/02/25
Position Title: Senior Advisor, Office of the Administrator
Source: A diminished DOGE reels from the departure of the ‘Dogefather,’ Elon Musk The Washington Post, 6/08/25
2/17/25
Identification:
Four SpaceX engineers at FAA are granted ethics waivers and designated as Special Government Employees, but must recuse from decisions affecting SpaceX.
2/18/25
Disruption:
DOGE staffer Ted Malaska (one of the 4 detailed from SpaceX) declares that SpaceX is the only company able to complete a communications network contract already awarded to Verizon. He also threatens to report the names of anybody blocking his work directly to Musk.
Person: Ted Malaska
Source: How Elon Musk Muscled His Way Into the FAA Bloomberg, 3/05/25
Agency: FAA
DOGE Project: Impunity
4/25/25
Disruption:
DOGE staff assigned to the FAA have reportedly enlisted government staff to work on a secret communications project named “Project Lift,” requiring them to sign NDAs. It is rumored to be about incorporating Starlink into FAA projects.
6/02/25
Offboarding:
Ted Malaska leaves role as Senior Advisor at FAA (exits govt. service)
Appointed: Ted Malaska 2/16/25-6/02/25
Position Title: Senior Advisor, Office of the Administrator
Source: A diminished DOGE reels from the departure of the ‘Dogefather,’ Elon Musk The Washington Post, 6/08/25
Offboarding:
In the wake of Elon Musk’s exit from DOGE, the four SpaceX engineers that have been working secretly in the FAATed Malaska, Sam Smeal, Thomas Kiernan and Brady Glantz – are all immediately removed from the agency. The Post reports that some agency staff went for post-work drinks to celebrate the banishment of the DOGE team.