Elon Musk is Running the Government Now? Critics say his Power Grab is out of Control
(Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Elon Musk, already the richest man in the world, just gained even more control—this time over the federal government. Critics are calling it an unprecedented power grab, with some even dubbing him the most powerful bureaucrat in American history.
On Tuesday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order giving Musk broad authority over the hiring and firing of federal workers. This move cements Musk’s control over the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an office that has been aggressively reshaping government agencies, cutting budgets, and sidelining career officials—all within just a few weeks.
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Since Musk took charge, the DOGE team has been making sweeping changes that have sparked lawsuits and concerns over a potential constitutional crisis. Now, the new executive order goes even further, placing DOGE Team Leads in every federal agency, requiring all staffing decisions to go through Musk’s operation, and blocking agencies from hiring replacements unless top officials override DOGE’s recommendations. The order also enforces a strict one-in, four-out hiring policy, meaning that for every four federal employees who leave, only one can be replaced—with exceptions only for law enforcement and immigration.
At the Oval Office signing ceremony, Musk dismissed concerns about his unelected influence, insisting that Trump’s election victory was enough to justify his new role. “You couldn’t ask for a stronger mandate from the public,” Musk claimed. He then incorrectly stated, “A majority of the public voted for President Trump,” despite Trump receiving only 49.8% of the national vote.
“The people voted for major government reform,” Musk added. “That was on the campaign. The president spoke about that at every rally. The people voted for major government reform, and that’s what people are going to get.”
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Even those who expected drastic changes under Trump’s second term have been stunned by how quickly Musk has amassed power. Some congressional Democrats have sarcastically started referring to him as President Elon Musk. Meanwhile, Time Magazine put him on its cover—photoshopped behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office—a stark shift from their post-election depiction of him as a mere influential private citizen.
“He’s the most powerful bureaucrat in American history, exerting far more power than any cabinet official, without any Senate confirmation,” said Robert Weissman, co-president of Public Citizen. “He’s operating with a degree of autonomy that has no precedent. It’s not plausible that anyone would have imagined this happening.”
Donald Sherman of the watchdog group CREW echoed the concerns, pointing out that “Musk has been given more power than any other person on the campaign trail—including Trump’s own running mate.”
Despite mounting criticism, Musk remains defiant. During a joint appearance with Trump, he rejected accusations that he was undermining democratic institutions. He argued that unchecked government bureaucracy was a bigger threat, insisting that he was simply making the system more efficient.
As tensions rise and legal challenges mount, Musk’s deepening influence over the federal government is reshaping Washington in ways few anticipated.
