Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
World
Tom Perkins

Doge cuts spark questions as employees supporting Musk space launches spared

a man holds a model rocket as other men look on
Elon Musk gives Donald Trump a tour of a SpaceX control room in Brownsville, Texas, on 19 November 2024. Photograph: Brandon Bell/Reuters

Elon Musk’s “department of government efficiency” (Doge) and the Trump administration have spared the jobs of US Department of Transportation employees who provide support services for spacecraft launches by Musk’s companies, SpaceX and Starlink – a revelation that raises a new round of conflict of interest questions around Doge.

In its most recent buyout announcement, the transportation department did not note that the positions spared supported Musk’s and others’ space operations.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.