The White House reportedly pressured the GSA to fast-track Elon Musk’s controversial Grok chatbot back onto the government’s vendor list, reigniting concerns about oversight and the risks of deploying erratic AI in federal agencies. (Source: Image by RR)

Grok’s Removal Followed Antisemitic Comments and Praise for Hitler Earlier This Year

The White House has reportedly pressed the General Services Administration (GSA) to restore xAI’s Grok chatbot to the federal government’s vendor list, despite the model’s controversial past. According to an internal email obtained by WIRED, GSA leaders were told that Grok must be added back “ASAP” after it had previously been removed from the agency’s contracting schedule. As of Friday, both Grok 3 and Grok 4 appeared on GSA Advantage, the online marketplace used by federal agencies to purchase products and services.

The move, as reported in wired.com, comes after Grok was pulled earlier this summer following incidents in which the chatbot praised Hitler and promoted antisemitic views on X, Elon Musk’s social media platform. Federal workers were initially unsettled by leadership’s enthusiasm for the tool, given its erratic history and “uncensored” positioning. At that time, GSA announced partnerships with OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google but conspicuously excluded xAI.

Elon Musk’s startup has remained a lightning rod for controversy as he balances his roles at multiple companies and his ties to government. Musk previously played a high-profile role in President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) but stepped back earlier this year after a clash with the president. Still, his allies inside the administration continue to push for cost-cutting, AI-first policies that align with Grok’s rollout.

By pushing Grok back onto the government schedule, the White House risks sparking debate about accountability, safety, and the credibility of using a chatbot that has already shown troubling lapses. The episode highlights both the eagerness of political leaders to embrace AI and the risks of fast-tracking unproven technologies into sensitive government workflows.

read more in wired.com