Elon Musk, as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), took center stage at Donald Trump’s first Cabinet meeting of his second term, outlining his aggressive plans to cut federal spending.
The billionaire Tesla and SpaceX CEO presented DOGE’s mission as an urgent effort to prevent what he called an impending fiscal collapse, citing unsustainable $2 trillion deficits and rising interest payments that now exceed US Defence Department spending.
Musk’s role in Trump’s administration has come under increasing scrutiny, including from congressional Republicans, as his budget-cutting initiatives disrupt federal agencies.
Wearing a black ‘Make America Great Again’ hat and a T-shirt reading “Tech Support,” he claimed that outdated government computer systems were a major source of inefficiencies.
🚨 NOW: President Trump asks Elon Musk to speak about DOGE at the first cabinet meeting, quickly shows off his “tech support” shirt 🤣
“I actually just call myself humble ‘tech support’ here… that’s almost a literal description of what DOGE is doing. Fix the computer systems,…
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His team, he said, was effectively acting as “tech support” for the federal government, fixing legacy systems that fail to communicate properly and result in wasted funds.
Trump backs Musk’s drastic cuts
Musk’s cost-cutting agenda involves slashing government expenditures by eliminating inefficiencies, fraud, and waste across departments.
His ambitious target: finding $1 trillion in savings, roughly 15% of the $7 trillion federal budget.
He defended his aggressive approach, warning that without major reforms, “America will go bankrupt.”
The DOGE initiative has already begun freezing and reallocating funds, which Musk claims will ensure essential services remain intact while eliminating redundant expenses.
One of his first controversial moves involved temporarily halting USAID’s Ebola prevention funding before reversing the decision, a move he justified as part of a broader “learning process.”
Despite backlash, Trump has fully embraced Musk’s approach, describing him as someone “sacrificing a lot” for the country.
Trump praised Musk’s efforts to expose and rectify “horrible things” in government spending, reinforcing the administration’s commitment to reducing federal bureaucracy.
Federal layoffs and employee pushback
One of Musk’s most contentious proposals is requiring federal employees to justify their work weekly under penalty of termination.
The initiative has sparked outrage, with critics arguing that it threatens job security and national security operations.
Musk defended the proposal, calling it a simple “pulse check” to ensure government workers “have a pulse and two neurons,” insisting that the minimum expectation should be the ability to write an email.
His comments have heightened concerns among public sector employees, many of whom already fear large-scale job cuts. Trump’s administration has mandated workforce reductions, leaving agencies uncertain about their future.
Musk’s overhaul disrupts Washington
Musk’s efficiency drive is already causing significant disruptions across federal agencies.
As departments brace for workforce reductions, the uncertainty surrounding job security has led to increased tensions between the administration and government employees.
Critics argue that his aggressive strategy could result in critical operational gaps, particularly in national security and social services.
Beyond budget cuts, Musk’s push to modernize government technology has also raised concerns about cybersecurity risks.
While he insists that replacing outdated software is essential, critics warn that rapid digital transitions without oversight could expose government systems to new vulnerabilities.
With mounting opposition and federal workers on edge, Musk’s role in the Trump administration remains a source of controversy.
Whether his drastic measures will achieve the promised savings or lead to greater instability remains to be seen.
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