Image credit: The Byteline

Elon Musk is back in the spotlight—this time tweaking his X bio to read “White House Tech Support.”

But this is no joke. As head of Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Musk is wielding unprecedented power in Washington, shaking up the federal government with his signature break-it-to-fix-it approach.

In just two weeks, Musk has:

• Pushed for control over the federal payment system
• Dismantled an entire government agency
• Given millions of civil servants an ultimatum: quit or be fired

His aggressive push to reshape the U.S. government like one of his startups has put him on a collision course with Washington’s establishment. And while he’s firmly in Trump’s inner circle, many wonder how long before their powerful personalities inevitably clash.

‍From Tech Titan to Trump’s Right-Hand Man

‍Musk’s political pivot has been as dramatic as his business ventures. Once a loyal Democrat, he soured on the party over labor laws, transgender rights, and government regulation. Initially, he called for Trump to “sail into the sunset” and backed Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in the Republican primary.

But that didn’t last.

Musk soon became one of Trump’s biggest financial backers, pumping $288 million into his campaign and Republican candidates. By the time of Trump’s second inauguration, Musk was seated directly behind the president’s left shoulder—a symbol of just how deeply embedded he’d become in the administration.

“You know I always say we have to be protective of our geniuses because we don’t have too many. But that one is a good one,” Trump said at a rally, welcoming Musk on stage.

‍READ MORE: Elon Musk’s DOGE faces legal challenge over Treasury access

‍A Ruthless Makeover for the Federal Government

‍Since taking charge of DOGE, Musk has wasted no time bulldozing through federal bureaucracy. Though Trump initially promised Musk wouldn’t have an office in the White House, his team has reportedly moved beds into the federal personnel office next door. He even has top-secret security clearance, granting him access to highly classified information.

Nowhere has Musk’s influence been more disruptive than at USAID, the agency responsible for U.S. international development and foreign aid. Under Trump, USAID’s work was already under review, but Musk took things to another level, calling it a “criminal organization” on X.

In days:

• USAID’s website shut down
• Its X account disappeared
• Two top security officials were placed on leave after clashing with Musk’s team
• Hundreds of employees were locked out of their email and told to stay home
• By Friday, USAID staff will be pulled out of their posts worldwide.

“It’s beyond repair,” Musk said during a 50-minute X Spaces session. He claims Trump personally approved shutting it down, saying he even checked with the president multiple times: “Are you sure?”

‍Is This Legal?

‍Democrats and legal experts are raising serious concerns over whether Musk and Trump’s aggressive dismantling of USAID is even lawful.“

This is not legal because it runs afoul of what Congress has explicitly done previously,” said Jon Rogowski, a political science professor at the University of Chicago.

Congress established USAID as an independent agency and controls its funding, meaning Trump can’t just erase it overnight.

However, he does have the authority to pull certain functions under the State Department’s control—which he’s already started doing by appointing Secretary of State Marco Rubio as acting head of USAID.

Meanwhile, powerful Republicans in Congress seem open to working with Trump on restructuring USAID, with Senator James Risch, chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, saying he supports the administration’s efforts to reshape the agency in a way that better serves U.S. national security interests.

Still, Musk’s level of control over the executive branch has stunned Washington insiders.

“I cannot think of any precedent where a presidential administration has essentially handed over the reins to a private citizen to remake and take control of the executive branch as they see fit,” Rogowski added.

‍White House Backs Musk—For Now

‍Despite mounting scrutiny, the White House is standing by Musk.“Elon Musk is selflessly serving President Trump’s administration as a special government employee, and he has abided by all applicable federal laws,” said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt in a statement to the BBC.

Before Trump’s inauguration, some of Musk’s fellow billionaires cheered the Silicon Valley takeover of Washington.“I think we’ve just had a very exciting moment,” said Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, a vocal Trump supporter, in December. “It’s a new chapter for America.

“There’s a lot of incredible people like Elon Musk in the tech industry and in the business community. And if you can tap the power of expertise to make the best of America, that’s a great vision.”