Leavitt Swats Down CNN Reporter Asking About Elon Musk
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt pushed back hard when reporters asked if billionaire and Trump ally Elon Musk had undergone a background check or received security clearance.
During the press briefing, CNN’s chief White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins asked directly, “Can you confirm that Elon Musk is a special government employee?” She followed up with, “And what kind of security clearance does he have?”
Leavitt replied, “I can confirm he’s a special government employee. I can also confirm that he has abided by all applicable federal laws. As for his security clearance, I’m not sure, but I can check back with you.”
Collins kept pressing: “Did he pass a background check, do you know?” Leavitt answered, “I don’t know about the security clearance, but I can check.”
When asked if anyone working with Musk had obtained a security clearance, Leavitt repeated, “I don’t, no, but again, I can check on that for you.”
That same day, CNN published a report confirming Musk’s status as a special government employee, which classifies him “not as a volunteer but also not a full-time federal employee.” The network also cited an unnamed source who claimed Musk had received “a top-secret security clearance.”
CNN legal analyst Arthur Aidala previously argued that Musk shouldn’t even need a background check, saying Musk had “gotten us into space” and “gotten us to the moon.”
In January, Musk promised to bring home two astronauts stranded in space for nearly eight months “as soon as possible,” taking aim at the Biden administration for failing to act sooner.
Musk, who also leads the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), revealed on social media that President Donald Trump had personally asked him to step in and assist with the astronauts’ return. Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have been stuck in orbit since last June after what was initially planned as a short trip.
A plan to use a SpaceX capsule for their return had existed since Biden was in office, but the mission faced repeated delays, according to reporting from the New York Post.
Wilmore and Williams originally traveled to the International Space Station aboard Boeing’s Starliner, the company’s first crewed spaceflight. But technical problems emerged, including helium leaks and thruster malfunctions, forcing NASA to rule the capsule unsafe for human use. NASA ultimately instructed the spacecraft to return to Earth uncrewed.
On Tuesday evening, Musk posted to his social media platform, X: “The @POTUS has asked @SpaceX to bring home the 2 astronauts stranded on the @SpaceStation as soon as possible. We will do so.” He also blasted the Biden White House, calling it “Terrible that the Biden administration left them there so long.”
NASA initially aimed for Wilmore and Williams to return via a SpaceX capsule by February, but the timeline slipped to March or early April due to additional scheduling issues.
The SpaceX capsule intended for their return is already in orbit, but SpaceX chose to hold off on launching the replacement crew that must arrive at the station before the stranded astronauts can leave. According to the Post, NASA prefers overlapping crews to ensure a smooth transition. SpaceX delayed the capsule launch to complete final work on the vehicle.
Musk’s role at DOGE began alongside entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, although Ramaswamy has since stepped aside to pursue a bid for governor in Ohio. Both men were outspoken during Trump’s campaign about the need to drastically shrink the federal government.
“I am pleased to announce that the Great Elon Musk, working in conjunction with American Patriot Vivek Ramaswamy, will lead the Department of Government Efficiency [DOGE],” Trump posted on Truth Social back in November.