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A retired FBI agent attempted to launch an investigation into Elon Musk’s use of the social media platform X while he was leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in 2025, according to an email obtained exclusively by Fox News Digital.
The former agent, whose name was not disclosed, argued that Musk’s activities were comparable to Hillary Clinton’s controversial use of a private email server during her tenure as Secretary of State. The email was initially shared as a protected whistleblower disclosure to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley.
The agent’s request came in response to Musk’s mandate requiring federal employees to report five completed tasks weekly or face what was effectively interpreted as resignation. This controversial directive was announced on February 22, 2025, both through an official email and on Musk’s X platform account.
In the February email sent to a colleague in the FBI’s public corruption squad (CR-15), the agent wrote: “I would like to recommend the opening of a criminal matter on the person(s) at OPM who approved the transmission of the earlier email.” The agent alleged that Musk, serving as a special government employee (SGE), encouraged “thousands if not tens of thousands of government employees to violate government wide security policy” by transmitting sensitive information without proper authorization.
The agent further claimed that Musk’s use of a “non-government system” to communicate official business raised ethical concerns, particularly because Musk owned a majority stake in the platform. “In doing so, because he is monetized (he is a majority owner of Twitter) he likely generated income for himself based on Twitter’s monetization model and/or advertising revenues,” the email stated.
Drawing a direct parallel to the Clinton email controversy, the agent added that Musk’s actions likely violated federal statute 18 USC 208 and the terms of his special government employee agreement, which prohibits self-monetization through government work.
The timing of the email is notable, as it was sent just two days after Kash Patel was confirmed by the Senate to lead the FBI. Patel would later dismantle the CR-15 public corruption squad in October 2025 following revelations that the unit had tracked private communications of several Republican lawmakers during former Special Counsel Jack Smith’s January 6 investigation.
An FBI spokesperson confirmed to Fox News Digital that no investigation into Musk was ever opened and that the agent who sent the email is no longer employed by the bureau. The spokesperson stated that Director Patel “has made it a top priority to expose and eliminate the deep-rooted corruption that took hold over decades at the FBI, including dismantling the disgraced CR-15 unit that was used to pursue political agendas.”
The spokesperson emphasized the Bureau’s commitment under Patel’s leadership to “equal justice under the law” and declared that “the era of politically motivated investigations and targeting opponents is over.”
Musk’s DOGE initiative has been controversial since its inception. The department was established to identify inefficiencies in government operations and reduce wasteful spending. The productivity reporting requirement that sparked the FBI agent’s concerns was one of several controversial measures implemented by Musk during his tenure as a special government employee leading the efficiency department.
Despite attempts to reach him for comment, Musk did not respond to inquiries about the allegations. The revelations come amid ongoing debates about government efficiency, bureaucratic reform, and the appropriate use of social media by government officials.
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8 Comments
This is a complex issue that touches on the boundaries between public service, private enterprise, and personal communications. I’m curious to learn more about the specific allegations and the legal framework around Musk’s role and obligations as a special government employee.
The FBI agent’s request raises important questions about the appropriate use of government resources and the boundaries of public-private collaboration. I’m curious to see how this case evolves and whether the allegations hold up under further scrutiny.
The comparison to the Clinton email scandal seems like a stretch without more concrete evidence. While the use of private platforms by government officials is a legitimate concern, we should avoid conflating separate issues for political gain.
Interesting comparison to the Clinton email scandal. While the use of private digital platforms by government officials raises valid concerns, we should be cautious about drawing too direct parallels without a thorough investigation. The details here seem murky and open to interpretation.
Musk’s leadership style is certainly unorthodox, but that doesn’t necessarily mean his actions were illegal or unethical. I’ll be curious to see how this investigation, if it proceeds, unfolds and what conclusions are drawn.
This story highlights the ongoing tensions between government oversight and private sector innovation. While it’s important to ensure proper protocols are followed, we should be cautious about stifling productive collaboration between the public and private spheres.
This is a complex issue that touches on the blurred lines between public service, private enterprise, and personal communications. I hope the investigation, if it proceeds, will be conducted in a fair and impartial manner to shed light on the specific allegations and their validity.
The FBI agent’s request for a criminal investigation seems like a strong step. I wonder what evidence they have to support the comparison to the Clinton email case. It would be helpful to get more context on the specific policies and directives that were allegedly violated.