On Monday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt faced scrutiny over whether billionaire Elon Musk, a prominent ally of former President Donald Trump, had received security clearance or passed a background check. During a press briefing, CNN chief correspondent Kaitlan Collins inquired, “Can you confirm that Elon Musk is a special government employee? And what kind of security clearance does he have?”
Leavitt confirmed Musk’s status as a special government employee, stating, “I can also confirm that he has abided by all applicable federal laws.” However, when pressed about Musk’s security clearance, she admitted, “I’m not sure, but I can check back with you.” Collins further probed whether Musk had passed a background check, to which Leavitt again responded that she did not have that information but could look into it.
CNN later reported that Musk’s designation as a special government employee indicates he is neither a volunteer nor a full-time federal employee. An unnamed source suggested that Musk had been granted a “top-secret security clearance,” although this has not been officially confirmed.
In a related discussion, attorney Arthur Aidala argued that Musk should not require a background check to work in government, citing his achievements in space exploration. Musk has been vocal about his commitment to bringing home two astronauts stranded in space for nearly eight months, criticizing the Biden administration for delays in their return.
Musk revealed on social media that President Trump personally requested his assistance in rescuing astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who have been aboard the International Space Station since last June. Their planned return was complicated by issues with the Starliner capsule, leading to safety concerns and subsequent delays.
Musk tweeted, “The @POTUS has asked @SpaceX to bring home the 2 astronauts stranded on the @SpaceStation as soon as possible. We will do so,” expressing frustration over the length of time they had been left in space. NASA had initially aimed for their return by February, but the mission was postponed to March or early April due to ongoing technical delays.
In November, Musk and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy were announced as leaders of the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). However, Ramaswamy has since withdrawn to run for governor of Ohio. Both Musk and Ramaswamy have been proponents of reducing the size and influence of the federal government, aligning with Trump’s campaign rhetoric.
As the situation unfolds, the impl
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