Elon Musk has been granted a special designation by the White House, allowing him to serve on boards and advisories without the usual public disclosures required of government workers. The 130-day limit set for special government employees could explain Musk’s sudden flurry of activity since Trump’s inauguration.
Musk is now a “special government employee,” permitting limited activities like service on committees and boards, while avoiding government payroll. This role also means he can potentially skirt public disclosures of his finances and conflicts of interest. The Department of Justice’s ethics rules require disclosure reports for certain decisions affecting non-federal entities, but only employees receiving above a certain pay level or working more than 60 days are required to publicly disclose their finances.
The White House has not confirmed whether Musk will make public or confidential disclosures at this point. However, as the world’s richest man and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, some experts worry about potential conflicts of interest. Trump has effectively handed Musk control over the Treasury Department’s payment system, worth $6 trillion, giving him access to critical systems.
Musk’s activity has been swift, with announcements like shutting down a foreign aid agency, despite Democrats’ constitutional concerns. His team clashed with security officials over sensitive materials, and after involving the U.S. Marshals Service, they reportedly gained partial access. This reflects Musk’s tendency to push boundaries, as seen in his previous actions at Tesla.
The enforcement of Musk’s 130-day limit appears lax, with no explicit penalties for exceeding it. Trump has emphasized that he will consider shortening the leash on Musk if it doesn’t align with his vision. For now, Musk operates with significant autonomy, but is subject to approval from the president.
Source: https://fortune.com/2025/02/04/elon-musk-special-government-employee-130-days-avoid-public-disclosures