White House grants Musk official status of special government employee

Billionaire Elon Musk is officially working under the leadership of US President Donald Trump as a special government employee.

As reported by CNN, this is the first time the White House has commented on the legal basis on which Musk is currently working in Washington.

This status means that Musk, a billionaire tech entrepreneur, is not a volunteer, but he is also not a full-time federal employee.

The US Department of Justice stated that a special government employee is "anyone who works, or is expected to work, for the government for 130 days or less in a 365-day period."

Musk does not receive a salary, a person familiar with his employment told CNN. He also has a top-secret security clearance, an official familiar with the matter told the TV station.

As a special government employee, Musk falls under the federal conflict of interest law, which prohibits government officials from engaging in matters that could affect their financial interests. This law can be enforced through both criminal and civil proceedings, but only the Department of Justice has the authority to ensure compliance.

On Monday, Trump confirmed that Musk has access to the Treasury Department's critical payment system, which transfers money on behalf of the entire federal government. On Monday, federal unions and other organisations sued the Treasury Department over this access.

Trump also stated that Musk would not act without the approval of his administration.

Elon Musk's closeness to Trump began during the 2024 election campaign, which the billionaire funded to the tune of nearly US$300 million.

The owner of X (Twitter) has also made a number of statements indicating interference in the internal politics of European countries, especially Germany.