U.S. President Donald Trump ordered federal agencies on Tuesday to work with Elon Musk to reduce the federal workforce and eliminate unnecessary government functions.
Standing beside Trump in the Oval Office, Musk, wearing a “Make America Great Again” cap, defended his unprecedented authority, calling bureaucracy an “unconstitutional” branch that should be accountable to the people.
Musk heads the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), but its operations remain secretive, with little information on employees and specific actions. Responding to criticism, Musk stated that his work would be heavily scrutinized and that he could not “get away with anything.”
Trump signed an executive order restricting agencies to hiring only one new employee for every four who leave. Agencies must also collaborate with Musk’s team to identify large-scale layoffs and determine which government branches should be eliminated.
The order exempts employees working in national security, public safety, law enforcement, and immigration enforcement from layoffs.
Trump and Musk claim this initiative will save $1 trillion, about 15% of the federal budget. Critics, including Democrats, argue that Musk’s involvement presents transparency concerns and potential conflicts of interest, given his company SpaceX’s billion-dollar government contracts.
Courts have blocked Trump’s attempts to limit government expenditures and suspend federal employees, prompting Musk to accuse judges of launching a “judicial coup” against democracy.
Trump echoed these sentiments, stating that courts were hindering his efforts but that he would comply with their rulings while pursuing appeals to “prevent corrupt officials from covering their tracks.”
