Government by Side Hustle: How Trump's "Special Government Employees" Blur the Line Between Public Power and Private Profit

Beginning in February 2025, the White House confirmed that Elon Musk was serving as a "Special Government Employee" (SGE), a temporary designation under federal law that permits work for the government up to 130 days per year while the employee continues to hold outside business interests. The category was originally intended for part-time experts, such as academic advisers, but has drawn attention for the scale at which it was used in Musk's case.

SGE status carries lighter ethics and disclosure obligations than full-time federal employment; Musk's financial disclosure could remain confidential. Critics, including members of Congress who introduced legislation targeting SGE accountability, argued the arrangement let a person with vast government contracts and regulatory exposure, through SpaceX and Tesla, help direct federal spending decisions with reduced transparency.

The White House maintained the arrangement was lawful and appropriate. As of mid-2025, questions about Musk's exact role and its duration continued, with his SGE status becoming a recurring point of scrutiny even after his formal split from the administration later that year.