New Delhi: A staffer in tech billionaire Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has resigned after questions were raised about his history of racist social media posts.
Marko Elez, a 25-year-old programmer, was set to work with the US Treasury’s payment system.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Elez had posted statements on X supporting eugenics and expressing hostility toward Indian immigrants.
In one post, he endorsed a “eugenic immigration policy.” Another post from September said, “You could not pay me to marry outside of my ethnicity.”
He also encouraged users to “normalise Indian hate,” referring to the presence of Indian workers in Silicon Valley.
In a post from December 2024, Elez promised that Indian workers in the US on H1Bs visas are “going back, don’t worry guys.” Ironically, Musk – in whose companies Elez claims to have previously worked – has previously expressed support for H1B visas and vowed to “go to war” to defend the visa programme.
“I would not mind at all if Gaza and Israel were both wiped off the face of the Earth,” said another post.
The posts were made by the handle @nullllptr, which was traced back to a previous username of @marko_elez, where he described himself as an employee of Starlink and SpaceX – both owned by Musk.
After the White House was asked about the posts, press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Elez’s resignation. His departure has also raised concerns about the vetting process for DOGE appointees.
Musk’s leadership of DOGE in Trump’s second term has drawn attention due to the department’s growing influence. Musk, who donated hundreds of millions of dollars to Trump’s campaign, has been roped in by Trump to reduce government spending and the federal workforce.
