Elon Musk, head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), defended the minimal impact of federal layoffs, stating that less than 0.15% of the federal workforce has received a reduction in force notice. This statement was made during an interview on Fox News with Bret Baier, where Musk, alongside DOGE member Anthony Armstrong, emphasized the advisory board's approach to allowing employees to exit rather than being fired. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has begun onboarding DOGE staff as part of cost-cutting efforts, according to an email seen by Reuters. This move grants DOGE access to SEC systems and data, indicating a broader scope of Musk's efficiency initiatives within the federal government. A federal appeals court has lifted an order that previously blocked DOGE from making further cuts at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The 4th circuit court's decision allows Musk and DOGE to continue their operations at USAID, overturning a Maryland judge's ruling that had barred such activities. The Trump administration argued that the cuts at USAID were constitutional. In a separate legal development, a U.S. judge rejected Elon Musk's bid to dismiss a lawsuit alleging he defrauded Twitter shareholders by delaying the disclosure of his initial stake in the company. The lawsuit claims that Musk's actions led to shareholders selling their stocks at artificially low prices.