Musk’s Hiring Hurdle Highlights Tensions with Trump Administration

Elon Musk recently encountered a setback when he proposed hiring Baris Akis—a Turkish-born venture capitalist holding a green card—to work at his non-governmental agency, DOGE. Despite Musk’s interest in recruiting diverse talent to his Department of Government Efficiency, aides from the Trump administration refused the request, citing federal policies that generally prevent non-citizens from working in government roles.

This decision came as Musk’s agency embarked on ambitious moves aimed at reshaping the federal government, including plans to shut down major agencies and overhaul bureaucratic processes. In a short span of time, Musk had taken aggressive steps such as attempting to access Treasury Department systems and signaling his intent to dismantle layers of government bureaucracy—a move that appears to be at odds with the Trump administration’s policies and messaging.

Sources revealed that hiring Akis could muddle the administration’s stance, particularly in light of President Trump’s well-publicized immigration rhetoric and his efforts to downsize the federal workforce. Acknowledging the boundaries of his authority, Musk complied with the decision, though this incident serves as a reminder of the persistent control exercised by the administration over his operations.

Further highlighting the power dynamics at play, Trump officials have continuously reminded Musk of his limited autonomy as a “special government employee.” The president has repeatedly underscored that no action by Musk can proceed without express approval from his team, a sentiment that was echoed during public statements clarifying the boundaries of Musk’s role.

Despite the funding deadlock on one of his significant hires, Musk continues to implement bold strategies within DOGE, having already brought on board a number of young engineers with minimal government experience. This ongoing reshuffle reflects Musk’s broader ambition to reshape or even streamline governmental operations, even as it walks a tightrope under the watchful eyes of Trump’s administration.