U.S. Marshals waived training rules for Elon Musk's armed security team
The U.S. Marshals Service gave Elon Musk's private security team federal law enforcement powers in February, even though some bodyguards lacked required training. Rich Kelly, the agency's third-in-command, approved waivers three days after the request to skip normal eligibility rules.
The U.S. Marshals Service broke its own rules to give Elon Musk's private bodyguards federal law enforcement powers, newly released emails show. In February, members of Musk's security detail were deputized as federal agents, giving them the same arrest and weapons powers as U.S. Marshals.
The problem: some of these bodyguards didn't meet the normal training requirements. Rich Kelly, the associate director for operations and the agency's third-in-command, approved waivers just three days after the request. This let the security team skip the usual eligibility rules that other federal agents must follow.
The deputization happened as Musk was working on DOGE, the Department of Government Efficiency, a Trump administration initiative. The U.S. Marshals Service is the enforcement arm of federal courts and usually protects judges and handles fugitives.
Career officials at the Marshals Service appear to be helping Musk beyond just the deputization. The emails suggest ongoing coordination between Musk's team and federal law enforcement.
Federal agents have special powers like making arrests and carrying guns anywhere. Giving these powers to private security without proper training raises questions about safety and fairness in who gets special protection.
More details about the waiver process and which training requirements were skipped may emerge as the emails are fully reviewed.
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