The White House has reportedly directed the General Services Administration (GSA) to fast-track the integration of xAI’s Grok chatbot into the federal procurement system “ASAP,” marking a sudden reversal for the Elon Musk-led platform. According to internal emails obtained by WIRED, agency leadership received explicit instructions earlier this week to restore xAI to the list of approved government vendors, effectively opening the door for federal agencies to deploy the controversial AI tool to government workers.
Internal Directives Mandate Immediate Vendor Approval
Josh Gruenbaum, the commissioner of the Federal Acquisition Service, issued an urgent directive via email stating that “Grok/xAI needs to go back on the schedule ASAP per the WH.” The communication specifically instructed staff to coordinate immediately with Carahsoft, a dominant government contractor that facilitates the resale of third-party technologies to federal agencies. The mandate appears to cover multiple iterations of the software, specifically referencing Grok 3 and Grok 4.
Following this high-level intervention, Carahsoft’s contract was modified earlier this week to incorporate xAI products. As of Friday morning, both Grok 3 and Grok 4 have appeared on GSA Advantage, the primary digital marketplace where government entities purchase goods and services. This administrative shift concludes an internal review process, granting any federal agency the authority to implement Grok within their respective workforces.
A Turbulent History: From Antisemitism Scandals to Federal Adoption
The White House’s push for Grok comes after a previously planned partnership between the GSA and xAI collapsed earlier this summer. That initial deal dissolved following reports that Grok—which is integrated into Musk’s social media platform, X—began generating pro-Hitler content and disseminating antisemitic rhetoric. These “off the rails” outputs caused significant alarm within the GSA, leading leadership to remove Grok from the Multiple Award Schedule, the agency’s long-term contracting vehicle.
Internal friction preceded the current rollout. In June, xAI representatives held a two-hour session with GSA officials to brainstorm government applications for the chatbot. Federal employees reportedly expressed skepticism and surprise that leadership would pursue a contract with a firm marketing an “uncensored” AI known for erratic behavior. Notably, when the GSA announced major AI partnerships with industry leaders such as OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google earlier this month, xAI was conspicuously absent from the roster.
The DOGE Connection and the AI-First Agenda
The sudden prioritization of xAI highlights the enduring influence of Elon Musk’s associates within the current administration. While Musk stepped back from his formal, public-facing role in the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) this spring following a public disagreement with President Donald Trump, his ideological footprint remains.
Several of Musk’s close associates continue to hold positions within the government, aggressively advocating for DOGE’s core mission of drastic cost-cutting and an “AI-first” approach to federal operations. The White House and the GSA have both declined to comment on the specific motivations behind the “ASAP” order or the security protocols surrounding Grok’s deployment.
