A federal judge in New York has granted The New York Times access to Elon Musk’s security clearances from his time leading the Department of Government Efficiency under President Trump.
The newspaper’s lawsuit sought a two-page list detailing what clearances Musk held during his four months in the White House and the scope of each authorization. The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency, representing the government, argued that releasing the document would violate Musk’s privacy, noting he remained a private citizen.
Judge Denise Cote, a Clinton appointee, rejected that argument, ruling the records could be released after a review for potential redactions. In her opinion, Cote said Musk’s own public remarks had reduced any reasonable expectation of privacy, citing his statements about holding “a top secret security clearance” and his social media posts referencing ketamine use and meetings with foreign leaders.
Cote also highlighted SpaceX’s extensive government contracts, calling it “one of the largest federal contractors,” and noted that the company’s Starlink system provides internet services to the U.S. military.
Finding that “substantial public interests in disclosure outweigh any cognizable privacy interest Musk holds,” Cote gave the Trump administration until October 17 to propose redactions limited to information that would invade Musk’s privacy beyond what he has already discussed publicly.
