White House Refuses to 'Reveal' Name of the Administrator Running DOGE After Clarifying That Musk is Just 'Overseeing'

The White House refused to disclose the name of the administrator in charge of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) during a press briefing Tuesday, as reporters sought clarification on Musk's role with the agency.

When asked by a reporter about recent confusion over who leads DOGE, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reiterated that Elon Musk is "overseeing" the department as a "special government employee," but he is not its administrator.

"There are career officials at DOGE, there are political appointees at DOGE," Leavitt said as the reporter pressed for the identity of DOGE's administrator. "I'm not going to reveal the name of that individual from this podium."

"We've been incredibly transparent about the way DOGE is working," Leavitt added before moving on to another question.

Despite being touted as the head of DOGE since the project's inception, the White House recently acknowledged in a court filing that Musk has "no formal authority" within DOGE. "Like other senior White House advisors, Mr. Musk has no actual or formal authority to make government decisions himself," the filing read.

The administration's ambiguity regarding DOGE has fueled criticism from lawmakers and watchdog groups as the department conducts widespread layoffs, accesses confidential government systems, and freezes federal funds, appearing to operate without official oversight.

Earlier in the day, nearly two dozen DOGE employees resigned, accusing Musk and his team of dismantling essential public services and lacking the expertise to manage government functions. Meanwhile, Musk has remained active on social media, reposting messages in defense of DOGE's actions.

Even as polling shows strong public support for reducing government spending, the White House's refusal to disclose who is officially in charge contributes to the public's confusion about DOGE's direction and authority.