Resignation of Musk's Doge Member Linked to Racist Social Media Controversy

Marko Elez, a member of Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, resigned after being connected to a racist social media account. Musk's poll on Elez’s potential return received significant attention, revealing a divide on social media accountability and the implications of past behavior for future employment, amidst growing scrutiny of the new government efficiency unit.

A young member of Elon Musk's newly established Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) has stepped down following revelations linking him to a racist social media account. Marko Elez, 25, a former employee of Musk's SpaceX, faced backlash due to posts associated with a now-deleted account that espoused racism and eugenics. The White House confirmed Elez's resignation, although it did not clarify the reasons behind the decision.

Musk acknowledged the resignation through a poll on X, the social media platform he owns, asking users whether he should reinstate the staffer who allegedly made “inappropriate statements” under an anonymous pseudonym. One such post, from July, read, "Just for the record, I was racist before it was cool," alongside various other incendiary remarks that have since been removed. The account, initially reported by the Wall Street Journal, included comments like, "You could not pay me to marry outside of my ethnicity," and "Normalize Indian hate," which further fuelled outrage.

As of Friday morning, participation in the poll concerning Elez's potential rehire exceeded 385,000 votes, with 78% favoured supporting his return. Musk responded to comments about the racist posts with acknowledgment, stating, “True.” This situation has also drawn commentary from Vice President JD Vance, who voiced that while he disapproves of Elez’s remarks, he believes “stupid social media activity should not ruin a kid's life,” suggesting that Elez should be reinstated.

Elez's resignation comes at a time of heightened scrutiny regarding the Doge unit, which was initiated by Trump and has gained prominence at the beginning of his second term. Musk’s administration has been actively pursuing drastic measures to reduce the federal government's size. Recently, a U.S. judge impeded one of their initiatives by blocking a proposal aimed at incentivizing voluntary resignations among federal employees. Concurrently, Musk has advocated for dismantling USAID, which oversees international development, prompting significant reductions in workforce protections as thousands of essential staff prepare for administrative leave.