White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed questions on Monday regarding billionaire Elon Musk’s status as a government employee and whether he had undergone a background check or obtained security clearance.
During a press briefing, CNN’s chief White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins inquired about Musk’s designation. “Can you confirm that Elon Musk is a special government employee? And what kind of security clearance does he have?” she asked.
Leavitt responded, “I can confirm he’s a special government employee. I can also confirm that he has abided by all applicable federal laws. As for his security clearance, I’m not sure, but I can check back with you.”
When pressed further about whether Musk had passed a background check or if anyone on his team had received security clearance, Leavitt admitted she did not have those details but promised to follow up.
Meanwhile, CNN reported that Musk’s role as a special government employee indicates he is neither a volunteer nor a full-time federal worker. The outlet also cited an anonymous source claiming that Musk had received “a top-secret security clearance.”
Legal expert Arthur Aidala recently argued on CNN that Musk should not require a background check to work in government, citing his contributions to space exploration. In January, Musk pledged to bring home two astronauts stranded in space for nearly eight months, criticizing the Biden administration for not acting sooner.
Musk, the CEO of SpaceX and head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), revealed that former President Donald Trump personally requested his assistance in returning astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams. The two had been in space since June on what was initially intended to be a short mission.
Plans for their return using a SpaceX capsule had been in place under the Biden administration but faced multiple delays. NASA originally sent Wilmore and Williams to the International Space Station aboard Boeing’s Starliner capsule, which later experienced helium leaks and thruster malfunctions. Due to safety concerns, NASA decided the capsule was not fit for human travel and ordered it back to Earth.
On social media, Musk stated, “The @POTUS has asked @SpaceX to bring home the 2 astronauts stranded on the @SpaceStation as soon as possible. We will do so. Terrible that the Biden administration left them there so long.”
NASA had initially planned for their return aboard a SpaceX capsule by February, but further delays pushed the mission to March or early April. The return vehicle is already in orbit, but NASA postponed the launch of the replacement crew, which must arrive before Wilmore and Williams can depart. NASA typically prefers overlapping crews at the station to ensure a smooth transition.
Musk was originally appointed to lead DOGE alongside entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, though Ramaswamy later stepped down to run for governor of Ohio. Both had advocated for reducing the federal government’s size and influence throughout Trump’s campaign.
In November, Trump announced on Truth Social, “I am pleased to announce that the Great Elon Musk, working in conjunction with American Patriot Vivek Ramaswamy, will lead the Department of Government Efficiency [DOGE].”
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