A U.S. judge has directed Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to provide records and answer questions about their federal spending reduction efforts. The order stems from a lawsuit filed by 14 Democratic state attorneys general, alleging constitutional violations by Musk.
Wednesday night's decision by U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan in Washington, D.C., came in a lawsuit by 14 Democratic state attorneys general against Musk, DOGE and Republican President Donald Trump.
The states argued that Musk violated the Constitution by wielding power that only officials confirmed by the U.S. Senate can exercise under the Appointments Clause, and sought materials from him through a process known as discovery.
Chutkan, an appointee of Democratic President Barack Obama, said her order focused mainly on who at DOGE was making cost-cutting decisions and how far they could go.
"Defendants argue that the 'inner workings of government' are immaterial to an Appointments Clause claim," she wrote. "The court is not convinced, but that is a legal issue appropriate for resolution after fulsome briefing.
"At this stage," she added, "it is sufficient that plaintiffs' discovery requests intend to reveal the scope of DOGE's and Musk's authority."
The U.S. Department of Justice, which represents the defendants, did not immediately respond on Thursday to a request for comment.
Chutkan limited discovery requests to material concerning agencies, employees, contracts, grants, federal funding, legal agreements, databases and data management systems that involve or engage with the 14 states as well as entities they operate or fund.
She rejected the states' request to obtain sworn testimony through depositions, and said her order does not apply to Trump.
Republican and Democratic administrations have long resisted efforts to force top White House advisers to provide court testimony or information they consider privileged.
Musk and DOGE have until April 2 to comply with Chutkan's order.
The lawsuit sought to bar DOGE from accessing information systems at several government departments and firing federal employees or putting them on leave.
Russia said that its Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, and U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, had a “constructive” conversation as they began pr...
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi spoke to his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty in a telephone conversation over the weekend where issues of ...
The Communist Party of China has opened the fourth plenary session of its 20th Central Committee in Beijing, as Xi Jinping outlined the country’s ac...
The Louvre, one of the world’s most visited museums, saw its priceless 19th-century crown jewels stolen in just seven minutes....
President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has arrived in the Republic of Kazakhstan for a state visit on Monday 20th October....
Israeli Military has confirmed it opened fire on what it called "several approaching terrorists" who crossed the yellow line in the Shejaiya area in Gaza, sparking fears that the ceasefire will not hold.
U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated on Sunday that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told him India will stop buying Russian oil, while warning that New Delhi would continue paying "massive" tariffs if it did not do so.
On October 19, 2025, President Donald Trump announced the appointment of Mark Savaya, a Michigan-based entrepreneur, as the U.S. Special Envoy to Iraq.
U.S. President Donald Trump urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a White House meeting on Friday to accept Russia’s conditions for ending the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, warning that Vladimir Putin had threatened to “destroy” Ukraine if it refused to comply, according to FT.
At least 69 people have died and almost 150 injured following a powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Cebu City in the central Visayas region of the Philippines, officials said, making it one of the country’s deadliest disasters this year.
A tsunami threat was issued in Chile after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the Drake Passage on Friday. The epicenter was located 135 miles south of Puerto Williams on the north coast of Navarino Island.
The war in Ukraine has reached a strategic impasse, and it seems that the conflict will not be solved by military means. This creates a path toward one of two alternatives: either a “frozen” phase that can last indefinitely or a quest for a durable political regulation.
A shooting in Nice, southeastern France, left two people dead and five injured on Friday, authorities said.
Snapchat will start charging users who store more than 5GB of photos and videos in its Memories feature, prompting backlash from long-time users.
Russia said that its Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, and U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, had a “constructive” conversation as they began preparations for an upcoming summit between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi spoke to his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty in a telephone conversation over the weekend where issues of mutual interest discussed.
The Communist Party of China has opened the fourth plenary session of its 20th Central Committee in Beijing, as Xi Jinping outlined the country’s achievements over the past five years and presented the draft framework for the next phase of national development.
King Charles III visited the scene of Manchester synagogue attack on Monday where he met with and spoke to eye witnesses of the incident.
British soldiers will soon have the authority to shoot down drones threatening UK military bases under new powers set to be unveiled by Defence Secretary John Healey.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment