Elon Musk has been involved in several lawsuits with government agencies, both as an individual and through his companies, particularly in relation to his role with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under the second Trump administration and earlier interactions tied to his business ventures. Below is an overview based on available information up to February 20, 2025:
Lawsuits Related to DOGE (2025)
- 14 States vs. Trump and Musk (February 13, 2025)
- Filed by: Attorneys general from 14 states (e.g., New Mexico, Arizona, Michigan), led by New Mexico.
- Agency Involved: U.S. DOGE Service Temporary Organization (operating under the renamed United States DOGE Service).
- Details: This federal lawsuit, filed in Washington, D.C., argues that Musk’s “sweeping authority” as head of DOGE violates the U.S. Constitution’s Appointments Clause, which requires Senate confirmation for principal officers. The states allege Trump illegally delegated unchecked power to Musk without congressional approval, allowing DOGE to access sensitive data, dismantle agencies, and disrupt federal funding. They seek to block Musk’s actions, including personnel changes and data access.
- Status: U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan denied an immediate restraining order on February 18, 2025, citing insufficient evidence of imminent harm, though she acknowledged concerns about Musk’s unchecked authority.
- New York AG Letitia James and 18 States vs. Trump Administration (February 2025)
- Filed by: New York Attorney General Letitia James and 18 other state attorneys general.
- Agency Involved: U.S. Treasury Department.
- Details: This lawsuit, filed in early February 2025, challenges DOGE’s access to the Treasury Department’s central payment system (Bureau of Fiscal Services), which handles trillions in payments. The plaintiffs allege this violates the Privacy Act and is unconstitutional, as it exposes sensitive personal data of millions of Americans to Musk and DOGE staff without proper authorization.
- Outcome: A federal judge temporarily blocked DOGE’s access, ruling that states faced “irreparable harm” without injunctive relief. On February 6, 2025, D.C.-based Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly limited access to two Musk-affiliated staffers on a “read-only” basis, and later, Judge Paul Engelmayer cut off all DOGE access pending litigation.
- Labor Unions vs. Treasury Department (February 4, 2025)
- Filed by: American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), Alliance for Retired Americans, and Service Employees International Union.
- Agency Involved: U.S. Treasury Department.
- Details: Filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, this suit claims Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent illegally granted DOGE workers “full access” to personal and financial data, breaching the Privacy Act and IRS statutes. The plaintiffs argue this compromises the privacy of millions who interact with the government financially.
- Status: Ongoing, with judicial rulings limiting DOGE’s Treasury access (e.g., Judge Kollar-Kotelly’s February 6 decision).
- Labor Unions vs. Multiple Agencies (February 10, 2025)
- Filed by: American Federation of Teachers (AFT), National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE), and others.
- Agencies Involved: Department of Education, Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Treasury Department.
- Details: Filed in the U.S. District Court for Maryland, this lawsuit alleges DOGE staff accessed sensitive records (e.g., student loan data, federal employee files) without security clearances, violating the Privacy Act. It describes this as a “massive data breach” threatening millions of Americans.
- Status: Pending, with no specific rulings reported by February 20, 2025.
- Federal Employees vs. Musk and DOGE (February 13, 2025)
- Filed by: Federal government employees, represented by attorney Norm Eisen.
- Agency Involved: Multiple federal agencies accessed by DOGE.
- Details: This suit seeks to prevent Musk and DOGE from accessing sensitive data and firing employees, arguing Musk’s authority requires constitutional appointment. It highlights his ability to halt congressionally approved funds and dismantle agencies.
- Status: Ongoing, filed concurrently with the 14-state lawsuit.
- University of California Student Association vs. Department of Education (February 7, 2025)
- Filed by: University of California Student Association.
- Agency Involved: Department of Education.
- Details: This lawsuit accuses DOGE of illegally accessing sensitive personal and financial data of 42 million federal student loan borrowers, alleging privacy violations.
- Status: Pending as of February 20, 2025.
Pre-DOGE Lawsuits Involving Government Agencies
- SEC vs. Musk (2018)
- Agency: Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
- Details: The SEC sued Musk over a 2018 tweet claiming “funding secured” to take Tesla private, alleging securities fraud. Musk settled without admitting guilt, paying a $20 million fine, and Tesla paid another $20 million. He stepped down as Tesla chairman for three years but remained CEO.
- Outcome: Resolved via settlement in 2018.
- SEC vs. Musk (January 14, 2025)
- Agency: SEC.
- Details: The SEC filed a lawsuit in Washington, D.C., alleging Musk violated beneficial ownership reporting rules under the Exchange Act by not timely disclosing his Twitter stock purchases in 2022. The SEC claims this allowed him to buy stock at artificially low prices, saving $150 million at shareholders’ expense.
- Status: Ongoing as of February 20, 2025. (Note: Musk won a separate 2024 case against the SEC when a judge rejected sanctions for missing testimony in the Twitter probe.)
- DOJ vs. SpaceX (August 2023)
- Agency: U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Civil Rights Division.
- Details: The DOJ sued SpaceX, alleging illegal discrimination against asylees and refugees by refusing to hire them, citing Musk’s social media claims about green card requirements. Filed in an administrative court, it was blocked by a U.S. judge in November 2023, giving SpaceX a reprieve.
- Status: Paused as of late 2023; no updates by February 2025.
- EEOC vs. Tesla (2023)
- Agency: Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
- Details: The EEOC sued Tesla for racial harassment and discrimination at its Fremont factory, joining prior worker lawsuits. A federal judge denied Tesla’s motion to dismiss in March 2024, setting it for trial.
- Status: Ongoing, heading to trial as of February 2025.
- NLRB vs. Musk and SpaceX (2024-2025)
- Agency: National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
- Details: The NLRB investigated Musk for violating labor laws, including a 2018 tweet implying Tesla workers would lose stock options if they unionized (upheld by an appeals court in 2023, under reconsideration). Separately, SpaceX sued the NLRB in 2024, claiming its structure is unconstitutional after an employee retaliation probe. An appeals court paused the NLRB’s case against SpaceX in May 2024.
- Status: Both cases ongoing, with mixed outcomes.
Observations
- DOGE-Related Litigation: Most 2025 lawsuits center on Musk’s DOGE role, focusing on privacy violations (e.g., Treasury, Education data access) and constitutional overreach. Outcomes are mixed, with some temporary blocks on DOGE actions but no final resolutions by February 20, 2025.
- Pre-DOGE Cases: Earlier lawsuits involve regulatory agencies (SEC, DOJ, EEOC, NLRB) targeting Musk’s business practices, with settlements, ongoing trials, or pauses reflecting a pattern of contention with government oversight.
This summary reflects lawsuits directly involving U.S. government agencies. Musk also faces private litigation (e.g., Tesla shareholder suits), but those are excluded here unless tied to agency actions. Given the rapid pace of DOGE-related developments, additional lawsuits may emerge beyond this date.
