Unresolved leadership at DOGE as Musk's role questioned
Even though Amy Gleason has been appointed interim administrator, Elon Musk remains a key figure in DOGE. Gleason's appointment occurred unexpectedly and under unusual circumstances, which—according to experts and lawyers—confirms that the structure of the State Efficiency Department remains unclear and raises many questions.
The NBC News portal reports that legal experts claim that the organization of work and the division of responsibilities within DOGE (State Efficiency Department) violate all conventions regarding the structure of executive power.
President Donald Trump recently confirmed that Elon Musk still leads DOGE.
During a speech in Miami Beach, Trump stated that he had issued an order to establish the department and assigned Elon Musk to lead it. Musk, who had a role in naming the department before the election, was appointed a week after Trump's victory.
However, the White House announced on Tuesday that Amy Gleason would now serve as DOGE's interim administrator. Interestingly, NBC News evaluated this decision as hastily made, as Gleason was supposed to be on holiday in Mexico. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Musk still "oversees" DOGE, even though he does not hold the administrator title.
Additionally, it is unclear whether Trump ever signed a document entrusting Musk with responsibility for DOGE.
Legal and structural controversies
Gleason's appointment as the interim administrator followed a week of scrutiny regarding the power structure in DOGE, directed by lawyers from the Department of Justice. Other legal firms accused DOGE of violating the 1972 law that requires transparency in the functioning of entities advising the executive power.
Lawyers responded to lawsuits against the government by stating that DOGE does not have an official administrator. Walter Olson from the Cato Institute compared this strategy to a shell game, suggesting that it aims to protect Musk and DOGE from legal challenges.
Meanwhile, Joshua Gardner from the Department of Justice described Musk as a White House advisor with limited management capabilities.
Mysterious structure of DOGE
The structure of DOGE is unusual and has been changing since its inception. In announcing the department's creation, Trump compared it to the "Manhattan Project" from World War II. DOGE is meant to operate within the President's Executive Office, but it is not an independent agency. The teams within DOGE include leaders, engineers, human resources specialists, and lawyers.
The DOGE budget is approximately 32 million pounds, and its structure remains unclear. A list of DOGE leaders has not been published, adding to this organization's growing aura of mystery. Laurence Tribe from Harvard Law School believes that DOGE would require congressional legislation to operate legally, and some of its activities may be unconstitutional.
Tribe remarked that the situation does not align with the organizational structure of the U.S. Constitution, and this is more than just an editorial issue. He noted that as administration officials seemed to recognize this, they began altering the concept and definition of Musk's and his team's actions.
In his opinion, lawyers from the Department of Justice are actually "throwing sand in people's eyes" to confuse them.
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