DOGE employee who quit over racist posts will be rehired
What's the story
Elon Musk has announced his plans to rehire Marko Elez, a former employee of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in the US.
Elez had resigned earlier after being connected to a now-deleted social media account that posted racist comments.
The Wall Street Journal first reported the connection, with posts from the account including statements like "Normalize Indian hate" and "Just for the record, I was racist before it was cool."
Support
Public figures support Elez's rehire
Vice President JD Vance has spoken out in favor of Elez's return, saying he disagreed with some of the posts but "stupid social media activity should not ruin a kid's life."
President Donald Trump also supported Vance's position on the issue.
Amid the controversy, Musk had even conducted a public poll on X asking if Elez should be rehired. Around 78% of those who voted favored his return.
Controversy
DOGE under scrutiny
Elez's resignation came amid increasing scrutiny of DOGE, an advisory group Trump set up to cut government costs.
A US judge recently blocked one of DOGE's plans that offered incentives for federal workers to resign voluntarily.
Despite the controversy surrounding Elez and other staffers, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has expressed confidence in Musk's team at his agency.
The White House is yet to confirm Elez's rehiring.
Apology demand
Criticism and calls for apology
The controversy has attracted criticism from Indian-American Congressman Ro Khanna, who asked if Elez would apologize for his remarks before being rehired.
Responding to Khanna's concerns, Vance stressed the importance of grace for those who make mistakes and slammed a culture that denies it.
Another DOGE staffer, Edward Coristine, was also in the spotlight after being fired from an internship over allegations of sharing information inappropriately.