Washington: A coalition of 77 US House Democrats has formally called on President Donald Trump to remove Elon Musk from his special government role by May 30, citing a federal limit on how long such employees can serve, Axios reported Thursday.
According to Anadolu Agency, the move marks the start of a wider campaign by Democrats to force Musk out of his leadership position at the unofficial Department of Governmental Efficiency-a controversial team aimed at shrinking the government. The Democrats allege that Musk has already exceeded the 130-day legal limit for special government employees. In a letter addressed to Trump, they demanded an immediate public statement from the administration, stating that Musk must resign and surrender all decision-making authority by May 30th as required by law.
Led by Congressional Progressive Caucus chair Rep. Greg Casar, the letter also warned that Musk cannot return to government service for a year unless he divests from all private holdings, including Tesla and SpaceX. Musk has faced criticism for allegedly implementing changes in government that could benefit his businesses or secure lucrative government contracts.
Musk and his team have also been criticized for other controversial actions, such as unilaterally attempting to shut down government agencies-a power constitutionally reserved for Congress-and providing unauthorized access to personal information on taxpayers. Additionally, they have been accused of making debunked claims about savings from cutting proven health programs for both the US and other countries.
In an interview with Axios, Casar stated that the pressure campaign for Musk's resignation is just beginning. "We're making it very clear that the public pressure is only going to ramp up on Republicans between here and May 30," he said. Casar emphasized the availability of "legal tools" and "political tools" at their disposal, alongside the "full force of public pressure."
The White House has yet to respond publicly, although sources close to the administration suggest they may refer to a 2024 Office of Government Ethics memo-issued during the Biden presidency-which claimed unpaid travel days do not count toward the 130-day limit. However, Democrats argue that Musk's continued presence in a key policy role violates ethics laws and potentially more.
Many lawmakers express concern that the Trump administration has already demonstrated a pattern of sidestepping both federal statutes and constitutional norms.