Who Is Nikhil Rajpal Of Elon Musk's DOGE Team?

Elon Musk, leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has recruited a team of young engineers to examine the federal administration. This team has been granted access to sensitive information in agencies such as the Treasury Department, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), and the US Agency for International Development (USAID). However, the Treasury has temporarily restricted their access. Among the team, Indian-origin engineer Nikhil Rajpal has gained significant government access, representing DOGE at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Nikhil Rajpal, around 30 years old, studied computer science and history at UC Berkeley. He was active in libertarian groups promoting minimal government and free markets. Reports suggest that he had worked at Twitter before Musk’s acquisition and previously redesigned a Tesla console. His email access within NOAA and DOGE indicates his deep involvement, yet his social media presence has been erased.

Alongside Rajpal, another Indian-origin expert, Akash Bobba, is part of Musk’s young team, which includes engineers aged 19 to 24. Bobba, who works at OPM, has high-level government clearance, granting him access to critical IT systems. The team reports to Amanda Scales, DOGE’s new chief of staff and former talent acquisition lead at xAI and Uber. Their presence raises concerns about young engineers having significant access to government operations.