In the new Trump administration, Elon Musk was named a special government employee and co-head of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which seeks to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse within federal agencies. However, DOGE has taken on a contentious role within its own government by requesting sensitive data from multiple agencies like the Treasury, enacting mass layoffs and restructurings affecting thousands of federal workers, and hiring amateur programmers for these tasks. With the number of lawsuits DOGE faces rising, many ask if this is legal. Those who question DOGE’s legality argue it is overstepping constitutional boundaries and undermining the separation of powers by bypassing legislative oversight and accountability. They are also concerned about Musk’s conflicts of interest since his companies regularly compete for government contracts. But those supporting DOGE’s actions claim that the department is operating under strict federal oversight and, thus far, is fulfilling its mandate by exposing inefficiency and corruption.
As its actions continue, we debate the question: Is Musk’s DOGE Dodging the Law?
Arguing Yes: Laurence Tribe, University Professor of Constitutional Law Emeritus at Harvard Law School
Arguing No: Michael W. McConnell, Former Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit; Law Professor and Director of the Constitutional Law Center at Stanford Law School
Emmy award-winning journalist John Donvan moderates