A member of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) unit has resigned following reports linking him to a racist social media account. Marko Elez, 25, who previously worked at Musk’s aerospace company, SpaceX, stepped down after media outlets connected him to an account that posted racist and eugenicist statements.
The White House confirmed Elez’s resignation on Friday but did not specify the reasons behind his departure. However, reports from the Wall Street Journal and BBC revealed that the now-deleted account, allegedly operated by Elez, contained posts promoting racial discrimination. One post from July read, “Just for the record, I was racist before it was cool,” while another in September stated, “Normalize Indian hate.” The account also claimed, “You could not pay me to marry outside of my ethnicity.”
Following the revelations, Musk took to his social media platform, X, to address the issue. He launched a poll asking users whether the Doge staffer whom he did not name should be reinstated. As of Friday morning, over 385,000 people had participated, with 78% voting in favor of Elez’s return. In response to a user who urged Musk to discuss the racist remarks with Elez, the billionaire simply replied, “True.”
Elez’s resignation comes at a time of heightened scrutiny for the Doge unit, a cost-cutting advisory group established by former President Donald Trump and now playing a central role in his second administration. Musk, a key figure in the initiative, has led an aggressive push to downsize the federal government. The Doge team has been instrumental in recommending drastic measures, including workforce reductions and departmental eliminations.
On Thursday, a U.S. judge blocked one of Doge’s proposed initiatives—an effort to offer voluntary resignation incentives to millions of federal employees. Meanwhile, another controversial decision is set to take effect at midnight Friday, with USAID, the government agency responsible for international development, facing mass layoffs. Only a small number of essential employees will remain from its 10,000-strong workforce, significantly impacting the agency’s operations worldwide.
Musk’s involvement in government restructuring has drawn both praise and criticism. Supporters see it as a necessary measure to reduce bureaucracy, while detractors warn of the destabilizing effects of mass layoffs and policy upheavals. The Elez controversy further complicates Musk’s efforts, raising concerns about the selection process for key government positions within Doge.
As the situation unfolds, Musk and his advisory team will likely face continued scrutiny over their hiring decisions and the broader implications of their cost-cutting measures.
