Elon Musk Deposition Blocked by Appeals Court in DOGE Fight

Elon Musk wears a "DOGE" hat in the Oval Office of the White House in 2025.Photographer: Francis Chung/Politico

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March 4, 2026 at 10:26 PM UTC

A federal appeals court has for now shielded billionaire Elon Musk from being questioned under oath about his role last year in shuttering the US Agency for International Development.

In a 2-1 decision on Wednesday, the US Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit granted the Trump administration’s request to halt a Maryland district judge’s ruling that allowed depositions of Musk and other former top agency officials. The appeals court found the lower court “abused its discretion” in finding that there were no alternatives to gather key information.