The past few weeks have certainly been a rollercoaster to say the least. With Trump being reinstated as the 47th President of the United States in January, laws have been changing and international relations have been getting shuffled around.
One of the many things that has astonished the world is Elon Musk’s apparent appointment into the White House, but what is his actual job? Let’s have a look.
Musk’s been given a position in government
The richest man in the world, who is also the CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, and the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) has been given governmental power under Trump’s administration.
Musk has been doing all sorts of things since he was appointed.
He’s already started sidelining employees
Among the things he’s been greenlit to handle are sensitive databases and sidelining employees in order to cut down on government spending.
Only this week, Musk started laying off dozens of USAID officials in the administration’s efforts to shut down the agency which provides billions of dollars worth of aid internationally, according to Reuters.
Trump appointed him unofficially
The President appointed Musk to lead a so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which is a temporary organization that was formed without congressional approval. However, his power to cut costs using this department’s enforcement is very real.
The department’s team has been looking through different federal agencies to gather information and deliver proclamation where they see fit.
Musk is a ‘special employee’
According to APNews, the billionaire has been given an office in the White House complex, with him being vaguely named by the White House as a ‘special government employee’.
The billionaire and entrepreneur is also subjected to rules that are less strict in regards to financial disclosures and ethical conduct.
Trump responded to the concern about this power
Naturally, many people have raised concerns about Musk’s sudden and seemingly unofficial rise to governmental power.
As reported by APNews, Trump addressed these concerns, saying, “Elon can’t do and won’t do anything without our approval.”
He addressed issues about conflict of interest
The president also addressed concerns about Musk’s conflict of interest, as he would be the one enforcing federal spending when his businesses are subject to regulatory scrutiny and federal contracts.
“Where we think there’s a conflict or there’s a problem, we won’t let him go near it, but he has some very good ideas,” Trump added.
Musk helped fund Trump’s campaign
Musk, of course, had aided in Trump’s election campaign prior to him winning the presidential election in November.
The tech mogul spent roughly $250 million to back Trump’s campaign through America PAC, a super political action committee which was rallying behind Trump through actions including door-to-door canvassing and digital advertising, according to APNews.
People online are putting it into perspective
Meanwhile, users online have been pointing out the Republican double standards had the former President Joe Biden appointed philanthropist George Soros to such a role.
One person on Reddit wrote, “lol imagine if Joe Biden had hired George Soros to be a ‘special government employee.’” It’s certainly a bizarre move, no one can dispute that.
Last Updated on February 5, 2025 by Nour Morsy