The appointment of Elon Musk, a billionaire businessman and Trump supporter, as a special government employee was confirmed by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Monday. She was unable to elaborate, though, on whether Musk has received a security clearance or cleared a formal background check, a matter that has come under growing media scrutiny.

CNN Chief White House Correspondent Kaitlan Collins asked Leavitt about Musk’s role and access to classified material during the White House press briefing.

“Is Elon Musk a special government employee, in your opinion?” Collins enquired. “And what sort of security clearance is he in possession of?”

Leavitt replied, “I can attest that he is a special government employee.” Additionally, I can attest that he has complied with all relevant federal laws. I can follow up with you, but I’m not sure about his security clearance.

Collins persisted, inquiring as to whether Musk had cleared a background investigation. In response, Leavitt said she would check further but did not have that information.

The press secretary once more stated that she was unsure but would inquire as to whether any members of Musk’s team had been granted security clearance.

Musk’s Function in Space and Government
Musk’s classification as a “special government employee” indicates that he is neither a full-time federal employee nor a volunteer, according to a CNN report on Monday. Although official sources have not confirmed it, the outlet cited an unnamed source who claimed that Musk had received a top-secret security clearance.

In recent months, Musk’s involvement with the Trump administration has become increasingly apparent. He is currently in charge of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a division that President Trump established to reduce federal red tape. At first, Musk and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy were supposed to co-lead the department; however, Ramaswamy has since resigned to run for governor of Ohio.

The Astronaut Rescue Mission Controversy
Outside of his work for the government, Musk has gained notoriety for his participation in a well-known space mission. He promised in January to assist in the return of Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, two American astronauts who were stranded on the ISS after having initially landed on Boeing’s problematic Starliner spacecraft in June.

After NASA declared the Boeing spacecraft unsafe for return due to helium leaks and thruster malfunctions, their week-long mission became an eight-month delay. Musk blamed the Biden administration for the delay in finding a solution.

Musk wrote: “The @POTUS has asked @SpaceX to bring home the 2 astronauts stranded on the @SpaceStation as soon as possible,” in a post on X (formerly Twitter). We’ll do it. It is awful that the Biden administration abandoned them there for such a long time.

Originally scheduled to return to Earth in February in a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, NASA has now rescheduled the mission for March or early April. Coordination around the launch of a replacement crew, which needs to show up before Wilmore and Williams can leave to guarantee continuous coverage on the station, is said to have caused the delays.

NASA prefers crew overlap during transitions to ensure mission stability, and SpaceX’s capsule is currently in orbit.

Security and Legal Issues with Musk’s Role
Concerns regarding legal and procedural oversight have been raised by Musk’s increasing influence in both the public and private sectors. In a prior CNN appearance, lawyer and guest analyst Arthur Aidala made the case that Musk shouldn’t be subject to routine background checks by the government because of his accomplishments in space exploration.

“He launched us into space.” “He helped us reach the moon,” Aidala said, defending Musk’s participation in public affairs.

However, concerns remain regarding Musk’s access to classified material and whether his appointment complied with all applicable federal regulations. The White House has not yet disclosed whether Musk or any member of his team has received a security clearance or successfully completed a background check.

The Impact of Musk on the Trump Administration
“I am pleased to announce that the Great Elon Musk, working in conjunction with American Patriot Vivek Ramaswamy, will lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE),” said President Donald Trump in November when he announced Musk’s appointment to the Department of Government Efficiency on Truth Social.

Ramaswamy and Musk have both been vocal supporters of limiting the scope and authority of the federal government, which was a major campaign issue for Trump in 2024.