A federal judge has ruled that Elon Musk must sit for a deposition to answer questions about his role in dismantling USAID. This decision comes after Musk’s legal team attempted to avoid questioning under the apex doctrine, which allows high-ranking officials to skip depositions. However, the judge disagreed with this argument.
Musk Deposition Ordered
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. The judge 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.
USAID Staff Cuts Under Scrutiny
The lawsuit, filed by anonymous current and former USAID employees, challenges the decisions made by Musk and DOGE officials. The judge stated that Musk and the others failed to provide evidence explaining why the agency’s headquarters and website were shut down. Other defendants include Secretary of State Marco Rubio, State Department official Kenneth Jackson, and DOGE administrator Amy Gleason.
Controversies Surrounding Musk
Musk has been involved in several controversies, including a feud with Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI. Musk accused OpenAI of theft, which led to a public dispute between the two. Additionally, USAID faced criticism for failing to monitor 5,175 Starlink terminals sent to Ukraine, with nearly half ending up in Russian-controlled areas.
Key Points
- Elon Musk must sit for a deposition to answer questions about his role in dismantling USAID
- The judge rejected Musk’s argument that he could skip the deposition under the apex doctrine
- The lawsuit challenges the decisions made by Musk and DOGE officials
- USAID faced criticism for failing to monitor Starlink terminals sent to Ukraine
- Musk has been involved in several controversies, including a feud with Sam Altman and criticism over USAID’s handling of Starlink terminals in Ukraine.