A federal judge has ordered Elon Musk to sit for a deposition to answer questions about his role in dismantling USAID. This decision rejects Musk’s legal team’s attempt to avoid questioning under the apex doctrine.
Musk Deposition Ordered By Federal Judge
U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang issued an eight-page order requiring Musk, along with former acting USAID director Peter Marocco and State Department official Jeremy Lewin, to be deposed. Musk’s attorneys had argued that as a high-ranking official, he could skip a deposition under the apex doctrine, but the judge disagreed.
USAID Staff Cuts Under Scrutiny
Judge Chuang noted that it was unclear whether Musk and the others were “properly deemed to be high-ranking government officials” during the period when USAID was dismantled. He also stated that they failed to provide evidence explaining why the agency’s headquarters and website were shut down. The lawsuit, filed by anonymous current and former USAID employees, challenges the decisions made by Musk and DOGE officials, the initiative responsible for the cuts.
Other defendants include:
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio
- State Department official Kenneth Jackson
- DOGE administrator Amy Gleason
Musk’s Legal and Ukraine Starlink Controversies
Musk has been involved in several controversies, including a feud with Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI. Musk accused OpenAI of theft, following Altman’s post about canceling a Tesla Inc. order. Altman defended the nonprofit structure and reminded Musk he had once suggested Tesla take over OpenAI.
Additionally, USAID faced criticism for failing to monitor 5,175 Starlink terminals sent to Ukraine. An internal report found nearly half ended up in Russian-controlled areas. The agency accepted higher misuse risks due to wartime conditions but failed to fully mitigate them. USAID partnered with SpaceX to deliver 1,508 purchased and 3,667 donated terminals, though the report did not examine whether they were used for military purposes.
Conclusion
Elon Musk’s upcoming deposition is expected to shed more light on his role in dismantling USAID and the decisions made by DOGE officials. The lawsuit and ongoing controversies surrounding Musk’s business dealings and philanthropic efforts will likely continue to be closely watched by the public and the media.