14 US states sue Elon Musk's appointment as DOGE leader is illegal

(CLO) Fourteen states have filed a lawsuit claiming that President Donald Trump's appointment of billionaire Elon Musk to lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and have "broad powers" is a "violation of the Constitution's Appointments Clause."

The lawsuit in Washington, DC federal court, filed by the attorneys general of New Mexico and 13 other states, accuses Mr Trump of giving billionaire Musk “unchecked legal authority” without the permission of the US Congress .

Mr Musk’s campaign has swept through federal agencies since Mr Trump became president last month and put the CEO of the Tesla carmaker and the world’s richest man in charge of eliminating wasteful spending as part of a sweeping government overhaul.

Billionaire Elon Musk is causing a lot of controversy as the head of the US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Photo: GI/X

Elon Musk and his Department of Efficiency are also being sued for privacy over their access to government computer systems. The new lawsuit alleges Musk was illegally appointed and seeks an injunction to prevent him from taking any further government action.

“Ignorance of the threat this poses to the nation, President Trump has delegated virtually unchecked authority to Mr. Musk without proper authorization from Congress and without meaningful oversight of his activities,” the states said.

Two federal judges overseeing ongoing privacy lawsuits against DOGE will consider on Friday whether the agency should be allowed to access the Treasury Department’s payment system and potentially sensitive data at U.S. health, consumer protection and labor agencies.

The states allege that Musk's group did not have the legal authority to access the payment system, which contained sensitive personal information about millions of Americans.

The lawsuit also argues that Musk and his team could disrupt federal funding for health clinics, preschools, climate initiatives and other programs.

In Washington, U.S. District Court Judge John Bates will consider a request by unions to block the DOGE group from accessing sensitive records at the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Labor, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Most of Mr. Trump’s initiatives that have been legally challenged have been blocked by the courts, leading billionaire Musk and other officials in the new administration to call for the judges to be impeached. Despite some court blocks, the Trump administration has continued to fire dozens of civil servants and sharply cut the foreign aid program (USAID).

Bui Huy (according to Reuters, ABC News, Forbes)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/14-tieu-bang-my-kien-viec-bo-nhiem-elon-musk-lanh-dao-doge-la-bat-hop-phap-post334450.html