Elon Musk will reportedly be given office space in the White House complex for his upcoming work as co-head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), but he won't be working wall-to-wall with President-elect Donald Trump.
Citing two sources briefed on the plans: The New York Times reports that Musk will set up camp in the Eisenhower Executive Office, a separate building next to the White House. It is still not clear whether Musk's DOGE partner, Vivek Ramaswamy, will also have an office in the Eisenhower Building.
Musk's DOGE operation, which aims to reduce government spending in the incoming Trump administration, currently operates from its SpaceX offices in Washington, DC, according to the Times.
The billionaire has also reportedly had discussions with transition officials about his access to the West Wing, with two people familiar with the matter Times that the issue remained unclear. Those who can freely enter and exit the West Wing usually require a special pass.
Newly elected US President 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
Although Musk has increasingly tried to stay close 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: Onthat has been the president-elect complaining to people about “how Musk is around a lot.”
“Trump does complain a little bit to people about Musk's presence,” Haberman said. “He really parked himself in Trump's face.” In addition to donating millions to his campaign efforts, Musk has positioned himself as Trump's sidekick in recent months. He attended a handful of official meetings and lived in one of the cottages for rent on Trump's Mar-a-Lago property.
“I don't expect Musk to have an office in the West Wing,” Haberman added, noting how difficult it would be for the tech mogul to maintain his Mar-a-Lago level of proximity to the White House. . “I don't even know if he'll have a blue pass to roam around.”
The self-proclaimed Trump expert earlier wrote on X in 2016 that the “key piece” to understanding Trump is that he is “often influenced by whoever he last spoke to.”
Musk's relationship with Trump was reportedly already on thin ice after his successful efforts to block a government spending bill earned him the title “President Musk” from Democrats and the internet crowd (plus his later push for a MAGA civil war).
“The 'President Musk' line was always going to be a way to get him. Trump is not a wind-up toy, but there are certainly very specific things that could excite him,” Haberman added during her podcast appearance. “I'm not sure Musk has figured that out yet.”
