A federal judge has declined to immediately halt Elon Musk’s sweeping influence over government operations, allowing his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to continue directing federal layoffs and accessing agency databases—for now.
The ruling, issued by U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, rejected an emergency request from more than a dozen states to block DOGE from infiltrating seven federal agencies’ systems or purging employees while legal battles unfold. Despite this, Chutkan acknowledged the lawsuit raises serious concerns about Musk’s extraordinary power as an unelected official.
States challenging DOGE’s authority argue that Musk is exercising government powers without Senate confirmation, violating constitutional norms. Since his appointment by President Donald Trump, Musk has spearheaded a rapid downsizing of federal operations, slashing jobs and dismantling programs in what the administration calls a campaign against bureaucratic waste.
While Chutkan found the states’ claims “legitimate,” she ruled their request for immediate intervention was overly broad and speculative. The lawsuit contends that DOGE, an entity not established by Congress, is unlawfully accessing sensitive federal data and jeopardizing state-run programs.
Legal battles over DOGE’s authority have led to mixed results. A New York judge recently blocked Musk’s team from accessing Treasury Department systems, but another ruling allowed DOGE access to the Department of Education’s internal data. More than 20 lawsuits are currently challenging Musk’s role in reshaping federal governance.
For now, the courts are taking a cautious approach, leaving Musk’s aggressive government overhaul largely unchallenged—at least until the legal dust settles.
