A key member of Elon Musk’s newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Marko Elez, resigned after The Wall Street Journal exposed his racist social media posts, including remarks targeting India. Elez, 25, was responsible for scrutinizing federal spending but faced scrutiny after WSJ connected him to a deleted account with offensive comments.
Controversial Social Media Posts
WSJ’s review of archived posts revealed that Elez made racially insensitive comments, stating, “Just for the record, I was racist before it was cool.” He further posted, “You could not pay me to marry outside of my ethnicity” and even wrote, “Normalise Indian hate,” in response to discussions about Indian professionals in Silicon Valley.
The revelations led to questions about Elez’s role within DOGE, prompting the White House to confirm his resignation. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt stated that Elez stepped down following the inquiry.
Legal Battle Over Treasury Access
Elez was also involved in a legal dispute concerning access to critical taxpayer information. A U.S. District Court ruled that while he could retain access to Treasury Department payment systems, his ability to share data was restricted. This ruling coincided with his resignation, adding further complexity to the controversy.
Elez’s Background and Connection to Musk
A Rutgers University graduate in computer science, Elez co-founded Unimetrics.io, a platform aimed at helping high school students with college applications. His professional history includes working for Musk at SpaceX on Starlink satellite projects and later at X, focusing on artificial intelligence.
Musk’s Stance on Immigration and Hiring
While Elez’s actions have cast a shadow over DOGE, Musk has recently taken a strong stance in favor of H-1B visa holders. He publicly declared his support for skilled foreign workers, vowing to “go to war” over the issue and urging right-wing groups to reconsider their opposition to the program. The H-1B visa allows U.S. businesses to hire skilled professionals from other countries, including India, a group that Elez had targeted in his online remarks.
The controversy surrounding Elez’s resignation raises concerns about the hiring practices and oversight within DOGE. As Musk continues to push for efficiency in government spending, this incident highlights the challenges of managing personnel in high-profile government initiatives.
