Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Case on Elon Musk's DOGE Records

The United States Supreme Court has agreed to hear arguments in a legal battle over the transparency and operational authority of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an initiative heavily steered by Elon Musk.

The lawsuit, brought by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), seeks public records related to DOGE's activities during the early months of President Donald Trump's second term in 2025. CREW argues that DOGE is a federal agency and therefore subject to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), maintaining the public has a right to understand its restructuring efforts.

The Trump administration contends that DOGE operates strictly as a presidential advisory body and is exempt from FOIA requirements, arguing that allowing the lawsuit would undermine the autonomy and confidentiality of presidential advisers. A federal district judge, Christopher Cooper, initially ruled in CREW's favor, ordering expedited processing of records and authorizing a sworn deposition from DOGE acting administrator Amy Gleason.

A federal appeals court panel subsequently upheld that ruling. The Supreme Court previously intervened in June 2025, narrowing a lower court order and sending the case back, but did not decide on DOGE's FOIA status. CREW then adjusted its discovery requests, and the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the remaining requests, including a deposition of Amy Gleason, in July 2026.

The Trump administration appealed again, arguing the D.C. Circuit continued approving intrusive discovery. DOGE was established by executive order in January 2025 with an "18-month DOGE agenda" and announced its formal mission ended July 4, 2025. The court is expected to hear arguments and issue a ruling by the end of June 2027.