Marko Elez
Marko Elez | |
|---|---|
| Born | 2000 (age 24–25) |
| Other names |
|
| Alma mater | Rutgers University |
| Occupation | software engineer |
| Known for | Sending racist social media posts |
Marko Elez is an American software engineer.[1] He graduated from Rutgers University in 2021, and, prior to his hiring to staff the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), his post-graduation employment had been at SpaceX and X, both firms controlled by Elon Musk, who led the DOGE initiative.
Through DOGE Elez was given read-write access to important US Government databases.[1]
On February 5, 2025 reporters identified Elez with a social media account that had transmitted racial slurs, and transmitted support for eugenics.[2] The account associated with Elez bragged he had "Just for the record, I was racist before it was cool". And argued that the public should "normalize Indian hate".
Elez resigned, but Elon Musk re-hired him on February 7, after both Vice President J.D. Vance and President Trump called for his rehiring.[2]
Jonathan Kamens, a senior cyber-security expert summarily fired by DOGE noted that he had to undergo a security check and drug test before he was given clearance to access sensitive Government databases, but that proteges of Elon Musk, like Elez, were allowed access without checks.[3]
The Treasury department initiated a forensic analysis, after the department was sued by State Attorneys General, and, in the course of that analysis they found Elez had emailed details of some individuals private details to White House officials.[4][5][6]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1
Michelle L. Price (2025-02-07). "Musk says he will bring back DOGE staffer who resigned after a report of racist postings". Associated Press. Washington DC. Retrieved 2025-03-02.
Musk, in a post on his social media network X, said he would bring back Marko Elez after Vice President JD Vance called for him to be rehired. President Donald Trump later endorsed his vice president’s view.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1
Holly Honderich (2025-02-07). "Musk to rehire Doge aide who resigned over racist posts". BBC News. Retrieved 2025-03-02.
'Just for the record, I was racist before it was cool,' read one post from the pseudonymous account in July.
- ↑
Brian Witte; Rodrigue Ngowi (2025-02-26). "Veterans' Data Is at Risk, Says Fired VA Cybersecurity Chief". Time magazine. Boston. Retrieved 2025-03-01.
The warning comes from Jonathan Kamens, who led cybersecurity efforts for VA.gov—an online portal for Department of Veterans Affairs benefits and services used by veterans, their caregivers and families. Kamens was fired Feb. 14 and said he doesn’t believe his role will be filled, leaving the site particularly vulnerable.
- ↑ Gregory Korte; Erik Larson (2025-03-14). "DOGE Staffer Broke Treasury Rules in Transmitting Personal Data". Bloomberg News. Retrieved 2025-03-16.
- ↑
Wes Davis (2025-03-15). "A DOGE staffer broke Treasury policy by emailing unencrypted personal data". The Verge. Retrieved 2025-03-16.
The staffer, a former employee at Elon Musk’s X and SpaceX companies named Marko Elez, had been tasked with combing through the Treasury’s payments system, but resigned in early February over racist social media posts that were linked to him. DOGE has since rehired him to work at the Social Security Administration.
- ↑ Gregory Korte; Erik Larson (2025-03-15). "DOGE Staffer Broke Treasury Rules in Transmitting Personal Data". Yahoo News. Retrieved 2025-03-16.