Elon Musk rehires DOGE staffer after resignation over racist posts

Elon Musk reinstates DOGE staffer Marko Elez after his resignation over racist posts, backed by Trump and Vance.

Elon Musk announced Friday that Marko Elez, a former Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) staffer who resigned after being linked to racist social media posts, will be reinstated.

The decision comes after both President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance voiced their support for giving Elez a second chance.

“He will be brought back,” Musk, head of Trump’s cost-cutting DOGE initiative, posted on X, adding, “To err is human, to forgive divine.”

🫡

He will be brought back.

To err is human, to forgive divine. https://t.co/TV6SJIb5P6

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 7, 2025

Elez, a 25-year-old engineer, had resigned Thursday after a Wall Street Journal investigation linked him to a now-deleted X account, @nullllptr, which contained offensive posts. The account reportedly expressed support for a “eugenic immigration policy,” made anti-Indian remarks, and posted inflammatory statements about Gaza and Israel.

Here’s my view:

I obviously disagree with some of Elez’s posts, but I don’t think stupid social media activity should ruin a kid’s life.

We shouldn’t reward journalists who try to destroy people. Ever.

So I say bring him back.

If he’s a bad dude or a terrible member of… https://t.co/OgG6Z3hKPE

— JD Vance (@JDVance) February 7, 2025

Despite the controversy, Vance publicly backed Elez’s reinstatement, stating that while he disagreed with the posts, “stupid social media activity shouldn’t ruin a kid’s life.” Trump echoed this sentiment, deferring to his vice president’s judgment.

Musk’s decision was further influenced by an X poll he conducted, where a majority of users supported bringing Elez back.

Elez, who worked at the Treasury Department as part of the DOGE team, had been granted “read-only” access to sensitive financial records. His reinstatement has raised concerns over vetting and accountability within the initiative.

The White House has not yet responded to requests for comment on the matter.