Trump aides leverage special status to maintain private-sector ties

A growing number of Trump administration officials, including key policymakers, are serving as special government employees (SGEs), a status that allows them to work for both the government and private clients without publicly disclosing potential conflicts of interest, reports the Wall Street Journal.

Among them is Katie Miller, a senior aide to Elon Musk at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), who also works full-time for the Republican consulting firm P2 Public Affairs. Others include real estate mogul Steve Witkoff, who is brokering international peace talks while maintaining his private business, and Corey Lewandowski, now a Homeland Security adviser. Musk himself serves as an SGE while running Tesla and SpaceX.

While the SGE designation has historically been used for part-time experts on advisory boards, the Trump administration is deploying it for high-level officials shaping national policy. Ethics experts warn this unprecedented use of SGEs blurs the lines between public service and private profit, shielding financial interests from public scrutiny.

Despite concerns, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the administration line that they bring valuable expertise to the administration. Meanwhile, Trump recently fired the director of the Office of Government Ethics after it issued a warning about conflicts of interest.