A group of individuals closely associated with Elon Musk has reportedly taken control of the General Services Administration (GSA), a federal agency responsible for managing government offices and technology. According to leaked documents obtained by Wired, Musk’s team is utilizing White House security credentials to gain unusual access to GSA technology, implementing AI software, and restructuring the office to align with Musk’s vision.
Several key figures who assisted Musk in taking over Twitter now hold prominent positions within the GSA. Nicole Hollander, a member of Musk’s Twitter transition team, now holds a high-ranking government position with access to GSA systems. Her husband, Steve Davis, who also played a role in the Twitter takeover, is now a crucial member of Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Additionally, the GSA has welcomed other individuals from Musk’s circle, including Thomas Shedd, a former Tesla engineer, Edward Coristine, a past Neuralink intern, and Ethan Shaotran, a Harvard AI researcher. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has also appointed Amanda Scales, formerly of xAI, as the OPM chief of staff, and Riccardo Biasini, a former Tesla engineer, as a senior advisor.
However, concerns have been raised about the direction in which the GSA is heading under Musk’s team. One anonymous GSA employee expressed worry that the team is treating the agency like a tech company takeover rather than focusing on improving government services.
The leaked documents suggest that Musk’s team aims to reduce federal spending by 50% across GSA offices. There are also reports of an attempt to use IT credentials from the Executive Office of the President to access GSA systems, potentially allowing non-government DOGE members to view sensitive contracts and monitor federal workers.
Furthermore, the new leadership is actively cutting GSA’s real estate holdings, with plans to eliminate $585 million in costs, remove 15 regulations, and reduce 203,000 square feet of office space. Acting GSA Administrator Stephen Ehikian has referred to these actions as the “first step” in revising federal real estate.
Nicole Hollander has reportedly requested funding for multiple “resting rooms” for senior GSA staff, similar to the sleeping pods introduced at Twitter HQ after Musk’s takeover. The team is also advocating for AI integration in government operations, with efforts to authorize Google Gemini and Cursor for federal use and discussions about software monitoring tools with Google engineers.
In a controversial move, OPM recently emailed over two million federal employees offering “deferred resignations,” allowing them to leave for the private sector while receiving full pay and benefits until September 30. However, concerns have been raised by the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) about the approval and funding of this plan, citing uncertainties and Elon Musk’s history of legal disputes over unpaid severance at Twitter.
The drastic changes and initiatives being implemented by Musk’s team at the GSA have raised eyebrows and sparked debate about the future of government operations under their leadership. The impact of these changes remains to be seen as the agency undergoes a significant transformation under Musk’s influence.
