Elon Musk’s role in the Trump administration has been a topic of interest, with the billionaire designated to oversee Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). However, according to a recent court filing, Musk does not have decision-making authority and is not an employee of the DOGE.

This clarification was made by Joshua Fisher, director of the Office of Administration at the White House, who stated that Musk’s role is limited to advising the president and communicating his directives. “Like other senior White House advisors, Mr Musk has no actual or formal authority to make government decisions himself,” it said.

Fisher reiterated that Musk is neither employed by the US DOGE Service nor the US DOGE Service Temporary Organisation, as a response to a recent court case brought against Musk by the State of New Mexico.

Musk’s involvement in the Trump administration has been significant, particularly in the area of government efficiency. As a “Special Government Employee” (SGE), Musk has been tasked with identifying and eliminating “wasteful spending” across federal agencies. This effort has already resulted in thousands of job cuts and has been a major focus of the Trump administration since the president began his second term last month.

Musk’s authority has come under legal scrutiny, with around 20 lawsuits filed in various federal courts challenging his involvement in government operations. There have been mixed reactions regarding the cases which made a federal judge question the extent of Musk’s involvement in government operations.

The administration maintains that while Musk advises Trump on policy matters, he lacks the formal power to implement government decisions independently.

However, Musk’s relationship with Trump has been notable, with the president describing him as a leader in the effort to root out wasteful spending, when he announced the department in November. Musk has appeared alongside Trump at the White House to speak about government cuts, and Trump has praised his efforts, saying he’s had “great help” from Musk in the DOGE drive. Trump has even suggested that he will ask Musk “to go check to the Department of Education” soon.