A federal judge has issued a significant order in a high-profile lawsuit involving the American Federation of Labor and other unions suing the Trump administration. The judge mandated that at least one official from Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) must testify and provide documents in response to the lawsuit. This marks the first time that a DOGE representative will be required to answer questions under oath from an attorney outside of the government, potentially shedding light on the operations of the organization.
The lawsuit aims to block DOGE from accessing sensitive Labor Department data, with the unions arguing that such access would violate privacy and administrative laws. U.S. District Judge John Bates characterized DOGE as “opaque” in his order, expressing a particular interest in understanding the organization’s structure and authority. The judge emphasized the importance of determining whether DOGE employees are permitted to view individual information under the Privacy Act.
Additionally, the unions have been granted permission to conduct four depositions with staffers from various government departments, including the Department of Health and Human Services, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Labor Department, and DOGE. These depositions will be limited to a total of eight hours, and it remains uncertain how much information will be made public.
The lawsuit is one of many legal challenges facing DOGE and Musk, with allegations of federal law violations and lack of transparency. Efforts by the Center for Biological Diversity to obtain information under the Freedom of Information Act further highlight concerns about transparency and accountability within DOGE. The Trump administration has defended DOGE’s transparency, citing information on the organization’s website and Musk’s platform, but discrepancies in reported savings and operational details persist.
The ongoing legal battles and calls for transparency underscore the complexity surrounding DOGE and its leadership. Despite President Trump’s statements linking Musk to DOGE, an acting administrator named Amy Gleason has been identified as the current head of the organization. The labor groups behind the lawsuit continue to press for accountability and transparency within DOGE, setting the stage for further legal and regulatory scrutiny.
The organization’s officials are seeking access to what they refer to as “highly-sensitive data,” which includes “medical and benefits information about all federal workers with worker compensation” as well as “the identities of vulnerable workers who have sought the Department’s protection” in wage disputes and occupational safety complaints. Additionally, they mentioned that the Department of General Employment (DOGE) would be able to review “information regarding investigations of Mr. Musk’s corporate interests and the sensitive trade secret information held by the Department,” leading to concerns about a potential conflict of interest.
Amid the growing backlash, President Trump has come to the defense of Mr. Musk. During a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, where Musk was notably more vocal than any other Cabinet member, Trump expressed his support for Musk while also acknowledging some of the criticism directed towards him. Trump stated, “He’s sacrificing a lot and getting a lot of praise. But he’s also getting hit. And we would expect that, and that’s the way it works.”
