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Ars Technica Mar 24, 2026 at 17:17 Big Tech

All of DOGE’s work could be undone as lawsuit against Musk proceeds

Musk’s X posts bragging about DOGE may trigger reversals of its biggest wins.

By Ashley Belanger Original source
All of DOGE’s work could be undone as lawsuit against Musk proceeds

Elon Musk must defend himself against a lawsuit alleging that he unlawfully seized too much power as the leader of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a judge ruled Monday. According to the plaintiffs, Musk needed Senate confirmation before directing DOGE on drastic actions like eliminating agencies, mass firings, and steep budget cuts. Allegedly going far beyond the authority granted in President Donald Trump's most expansive DOGE executive orders, Musk took every inch of power granted and then increasingly used it to overreach unlike any presidential advisor who came before, the suit says. In her opinion partly denying a motion to dismiss, US District Judge Tanya S. Chutkan did not buy the US government's defense that Musk held no office formally established by law—and therefore did not need Senate confirmation and cannot be alleged to have exceeded his authority under the Constitution's Appointments Clause.Read full article Comments

Quick summary

A U.S. District Judge partially denied Elon Musk's motion to dismiss a lawsuit accusing him of unlawfully seizing excessive authority as head of the Department of Government Efficiency, alleging he acted without required Senate confirmation and exceeded powers granted by prior executive orders.

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