The US Marshals Service has deputized members of Elon Musk’s private security detail, granting them certain rights and protections normally reserved for federal law enforcement agents.
The Marshals Service has broad discretion to deputize a range of individuals, from Justice Department employees and law enforcement officials to personnel from private security companies. According to a Justice Department manual, such deputization—typically granted by the deputy attorney general—lasts for one year.
It remains unclear how many members of Musk’s team have received this designation. Because Musk does not currently have a US Secret Service detail, his personal security in Washington, D.C. has previously been limited in scope. With deputization, however, these team members now enjoy expanded rights—including potential authorization to carry firearms on federal property—and the Marshals Service could face legal liability if issues arise with the detail, one law enforcement source explained.
This is not the first time the agency has taken such action; it has previously deputized security details, including a unit assigned to protect Dr. Anthony Fauci. In that instance, officers from the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General were deputized to bolster his security amid increasing threats to his safety.
