Elon Musk is said to be on the verge of securing office space within the White House complex for his new role as co-head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE); however, he will not share the same office space as President-elect Donald Trump.
According to two sources who are informed about the plans, The New York Times indicates that Musk will be setting up his office at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, a distinct structure located next to the White House. It remains uncertain if Musk’s DOGE colleague, Vivek Ramaswamy, will also be located at the Eisenhower office.
Musk’s DOGE initiative, which aims to reduce government expenditures during Trump’s future administration, is currently based in SpaceX’s Washington, D.C. facilities, as reported by The Times.
The billionaire has allegedly had conversations with transition officials regarding his access to the West Wing, with two individuals knowledgeable about the situation informing The Times that the specifics were left ambiguous. Typically, those who need to navigate in and out of the West Wing do so with a particular access pass.
Although Musk has made efforts to stay close to Trump, New York Times journalist and “Trump whisperer” Maggie Haberman previously mentioned to tech reporter Kara Swisher during a Jan. 6 podcast episode, On, that the president-elect has been expressing concerns about “how frequently Musk is present.”
“Trump does voice some discontent to others regarding Musk’s frequent presence,” Haberman stated. “He has really positioned himself in Trump’s direct vicinity.” Beyond contributing millions to his campaign, Musk has acted as Trump’s confidant in recent months, attending several official gatherings and staying at one of the cottages available for rent at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate.
“I don’t foresee Musk having an office in the West Wing,” Haberman remarked, also highlighting the challenges for the tech entrepreneur to maintain a close connection like he did at Mar-a-Lago while in the White House. “I doubt he will even secure a blue pass to move around freely.”
The self-identified Trump specialist previously noted on X in 2016 that the “critical aspect” of understanding Trump is that he is “often influenced by the last person he conversed with.”
Reports suggest Musk’s relationship with Trump was already strained after his effective opposition to a government funding bill, which led some Democrats and online commentators to dub him “President Musk” (along with his subsequent call to incite a MAGA civil conflict).
“The term ‘President Musk’ was always intended as a critique. Trump isn’t a mere puppet, but there are certainly particular triggers that can unsettle him,” Haberman remarked during her podcast discussion. “I’m not convinced Musk has figured that out yet.”
