White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Monday that Elon Musk is a special government employee but was unsure if he had a security clearance or passed a background check. CNN reported Musk may have received a top-secret clearance.

Musk recently criticized the Biden administration for delays in bringing home astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who have been stranded in space for months. President Trump personally asked Musk to assist, and SpaceX is set to bring them back soon.

Musk was appointed by Trump to lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) alongside Vivek Ramaswamy, though Ramaswamy later withdrew to run for governor of Ohio.