Vance calls for reinstatement of DOGE worker who resigned over racist posts [View all]

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Source: New York Times

Vance Calls for Rehiring of DOGE Staffer Who Quit Over Racist Posts
The vice president said he "obviously" disagreed with some of the man's posts but "I don't think stupid social media activity should ruin a kid's life."

By Ryan Mac and Kate Conger
Feb. 7, 2025
Updated 1:43 p.m. ET

Vice President JD Vance on Friday morning called for the reinstatement of a Department of Government Efficiency staff member who had resigned after being linked to racist posts he made on X under a pseudonym. ... Mr. Vance's declaration on X came after The Wall Street Journal linked a pseudonymous account on the social platform with Marko Elez, a former SpaceX and X employee who had joined Elon Musk's cost-cutting effort that is scrutinizing government spending. Mr. Elez resigned on Thursday, after The Journal reported that he had written posts last year declaring, "I was racist before it was cool" and "normalize Indian hate."

"I obviously disagree with some of Elez's posts, but I don't think stupid social media activity should ruin a kid's life," wrote Mr. Vance, whose wife, Usha Vance, is the daughter of Indian immigrants. "We shouldn't reward journalists who try to destroy people. Ever. So I say bring him back." ... Mr. Elez did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Mr. Musk also appeared to favor Mr. Elez's reinstatement, and led a campaign calling for the author of the Journal story to be fired for publishing private information. The Journal did not publish private information and simply linked Mr. Elez's pseudonymous posts to his real name. ... On X, Mr. Musk posed a question to his more than 215 million followers: "Bring back @DOGE staffer who made inappropriate statements via a now deleted pseudonym?" ... The answer, from 78 percent of the more than 385,000 users who cast votes in the poll, was a resounding yes.

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Aric Toler contributed reporting. Jack Begg contributed research.

Ryan Mac covers corporate accountability across the global technology industry. More about Ryan Mac
https://www.nytimes.com/by/ryan-mac

Kate Conger is a technology reporter based in San Francisco. She can be reached at [e-mail]. More about Kate Conger
https://www.nytimes.com/by/kate-conger

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/07/us/politics/vance-doge-staffer-racist-posts.html