Two 15-year-olds have been charged with unarmed carjacking after allegedly attacking Edward “Big Balls” Coristine, the 19-year-old software engineer and former Neuralink intern who became a prominent figure in the Trump administration’s cost-cutting Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

According to reports citing local authorities, Coristine — who left DOGE in June but quickly returned to federal service at the Social Security Administration to help improve the agency’s website — was with a female friend around 3 a.m. Sunday in Washington’s Logan Circle when a circle of roughly 10 teens approached their car and made comments about taking it. He reportedly pushed the woman into the car for her safety before confronting the mob, which then attacked him until police drove up, called to the scene by Coristine’s companion, who’d phoned 911.

On Tuesday, Musk praised Coristine for his bravery on his social media platform, X. President Trump separately shared an image of a battered Coristine on Truth Social, using the assault to call for prosecuting teens as young as 14 as adults, and for “federalizing” Washington.