Elon Musk is reportedly set to receive office space in the White House complex for his incoming work as co-head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), but he won’t be wall-to-wall with President-elect Donald Trump.
Citing two sources that have been briefed on the plans, The New York Times reports that Musk will set up camp at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, which is beside the White House. The outlet adds that it’s still not clear whether Musk’s DOGE partner, Vivek Ramaswamy, will also have an office at the Eisenhower building.
Musk’s DOGE operation, which aspires to cut government spending in Trump’s upcoming administration, is currently operating out of his SpaceX’s Washington, D.C. offices, per The Times.
The billionaire has also reportedly had discussions with transition officials on his accessibility to the West Wing, with two people familiar with the matter telling The Times that the issue was left unclear. Those able to enter and leave the West Wing freely typically need a special pass.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump greets Elon Musk as he arrives to attend a viewing of the launch of the sixth test flight of the SpaceX Starship rocket on November 19, 2024 in Brownsville, Texas. / Brandon Bell / Brandon Bell/Getty Images
While Musk has increasingly tried to remain within close proximity to Trump, New York Times reporter and “Trump whisperer” Maggie Haberman previously told tech reporter Kara Swisher on a Jan. 6 episode of her podcast, On, that the president-elect has been complaining to people about “how Musk is around a lot.”
“Trump does complain a bit to people about how Musk is around a lot,” Haberman said. “He really parked himself in Trump’s face.” Along with donating millions to his campaign efforts, Musk has practically positioned himself as Trump’s side-kick over the past few months, attending a handful of official meetings and residing in one of the cottages available for rent on Trump’s Mar-a-Lago property.
“I don’t anticipate that Musk is going to have an office in the West Wing,” Haberman added, while noting how difficult it would be for the tech mogul to maintain his Mar-a-Lago level of proximity at the White House. “I don’t even know that he will have a blue pass to wander around.”
The self-proclaimed Trump expert previously wrote on X in 2016 that the “key piece” to understanding Trump is that he’s “often swayed by whoever he last talked to.”
Musk’s relationship with Trump was already reportedly on thin ice after his successful efforts to block a government spending bill earned him the title “President Musk” by some dems and internet folk (plus his later inciting of a MAGA civil war).
“The ‘President Musk’ line was always going to be a way to get him. Trump’s not a wind-up toy, but there certainly are very specific things that can zotz him,” Haberman added during her podcast appearance. “I’m not sure Musk has figured that out yet.”
