Wired: Three Musk-linked DOGE operatives now full-time government employees

Three early operatives tied to Elon Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have recently been converted to full-time employees within the USfederal government, despite Musk’s claims that he is stepping back from the controversial initiative.

Edward Coristine, Luke Farritor, and Ethan Shaotran—initially appointed under the special government employee (SGE) classification that limits service to 130 days—have officially transitioned to full-time roles at the General Services Administration (GSA), according to documents reviewed by WIRED, Caliber.Az quotes. Coristine and Farritor’s status changed on May 31, while Shaotran was granted full-time employment on April 10.

The trio were first identified in February as key figures in DOGE, a Musk-affiliated initiative that has been accused of rapidly centralising federal access and influence. Before joining DOGE, all three had prior connections to Musk-affiliated companies: Farritor interned at SpaceX, Coristine briefly worked at Neuralink, and Shaotran participated in an xAI hackathon in late 2023.

Since January, their roles have expanded significantly. According to sources familiar with the matter, they now have access to a broad range of federal agencies beyond GSA, including the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Education, the Department of Homeland Security, the Social Security Administration, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, among others.

Coristine, who has used the online alias “Big Balls” and previously worked for a telecom company known for employing former blackhat hackers, is said to be spearheading efforts related to President Donald Trump’s controversial “gold card” visa program, which offers residency in exchange for $5 million investments. Meanwhile, Farritor has reportedly played a significant role in the dismantling of the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

By Sabina Mammadli