Type to search

Business

Elon Musk Becomes Unpaid Special Government Employee, Security Clearance in Question

Share
Elon Musk Becomes Unpaid Special Government Employee, Security Clearance in Question

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has confirmed to Business Insider that tech billionaire Elon Musk is now a “special government employee.” This means he’s offering his expertise to the government without getting paid. However, it’s still unclear whether he has security clearance for sensitive information.

Leavitt stated that Musk follows all required federal laws. “I can confirm he’s a special government employee. I can also confirm that he has abided by all applicable federal laws,” she said. But when asked about his security clearance, she was unsure and mentioned she would need to check.

Musk’s new role has raised some eyebrows in Congress, especially since he has quickly made waves in Washington, D.C. As the leader of the newly-created Department of Government Efficiency.

Elon Musk has been very outspoken, even calling the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) a “criminal organization” and has caused disruptions, including sending employees on leave and limiting access for elected officials in the lobby.

The title of “special government employee” is typically used for temporary advisors who are not planning to stay in government roles permanently. It also means Musk is subject to laws that prevent government workers from being involved in matters where they could profit personally.

There are concerns about how strictly these rules will be enforced. Kathleen Clark, a law professor specializing in government ethics, doubts strict enforcement under the current Trump-led administration.

She said, “We are relying on the Justice Department for enforcement of the financial conflict-of-interest standards against Elon Musk and everyone else, and there is a reason to doubt that the Trump Justice Department will enforce any statutes, including criminal statutes, against a Trump ally.”

Musk’s companies, like Tesla and SpaceX, have previously benefited from government contracts. However, recent decisions by President Trump, like the new 25% tariff on goods from Canada, have already started to affect Musk’s business negatively.

For example, a deal for Musk’s satellite internet service, Starlink, was canceled by the Canadian province of Ontario because of these tariffs.

Tags:

You Might also Like

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *