Chief Justice agrees to pause court orders requiring DOGE to turn over records about its operation
May 23, 2025, 1:24 PM
Elon Musk flashes his t-shirt that reads "DOGE" to the media as he walks on South Lawn of the White House, in Washington, Sunday, March 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS
(AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� Chief Justice John Roberts agreed Friday to temporarily pause orders that would require Elon Musk 鈥檚 Department of Government Efficiency to publicly disclose information about its operations.
The order came after the Trump administration appealed to the Supreme Court in a lawsuit filed against DOGE by a government watchdog group.
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington argues that DOGE, which has been central to President Donald Trump鈥檚 push to remake the government, is a federal agency and must be subject to the Freedom of Information Act.
But the Trump administration says DOGE is just a presidential advisory body aimed at rooting out waste, fraud and abuse in the federal government, which would make it exempt from requests for documents under FOIA.
CREW sued in February, claiming that DOGE 鈥渨ields shockingly broad power鈥� with no transparency about its actions. U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper found that its role is likely more than just advisory, noting claims in helping to shutter USAID and cut billions of dollars in government contracts.
Cooper had ordered DOGE to turn over documents and have acting DOGE administrator Amy Gleason answer questions under oath by June 13.
Solicitor General D. John Sauer called Cooper鈥檚 orders 鈥渆xtraordinarily overbroad and intrusive.”
The case is the latest in a string of emergency appeals taken to the Supreme Court after lower courts have blocked parts of Trump鈥檚 sweeping agenda.
