Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk made a rare public appearance at the White House on Tuesday, standing beside President Donald Trump to defend major government job cuts. The changes are being pushed through the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which Musk leads. Many people are concerned that Musk is gaining too much power without enough oversight.
Trump praised Musk’s efforts, calling him an important part of the administration’s plan to reduce government size. The president signed an executive order expanding Musk’s authority, requiring DOGE to approve most new federal hires. This means that hiring across government agencies will now be tightly controlled.
Musk Calls Government Cuts “Common Sense”
Wearing a red “Make America Great Again” cap, Musk spoke to reporters, defending DOGE’s work as “common sense”, not extreme or unfair. He argued that the federal government had become a massive, unelected system with too much control. “People voted for major government reform, and that’s what we’re doing,” Musk said. “This is democracy in action.”
However, critics worry that reducing government workers will limit oversight and transparency. The concern grew stronger when the inspector general for USAID was fired just a day after warning that his agency could no longer properly track $8.2 billion in humanitarian aid due to DOGE’s cuts.
Lack of Transparency Raises Concerns
Musk claimed that DOGE is being transparent by sharing information on its website and X (formerly Twitter), which he owns. However, critics pointed out that the website has no details, and the social media posts do not specify which programs are being cut.
When asked about false claims that the U.S. government was spending $50 million on condoms for Gaza, Musk admitted he sometimes shares incorrect information. “Some things I say will be wrong and should be corrected. Nobody is perfect,” he acknowledged.
Musk’s Influence Over Government Contracts
Musk’s companies, Tesla and SpaceX, have billions of dollars in contracts with the Pentagon and intelligence agencies. Critics argue that DOGE’s work could give him access to sensitive financial systems at the U.S. Treasury.
Despite the backlash, Musk insisted he is willing to be scrutinized. “I fully expect to be watched closely. I won’t be able to just do whatever I want,” he said.
Trump and Musk Attack Judges
The Trump administration previously tried to offer buyouts to encourage federal workers to leave voluntarily, but a federal judge blocked the effort.
On Tuesday, both Trump and Musk criticized federal judges, calling them obstacles to government reform. Musk claimed on X that the U.S. was being destroyed by a “judicial coup,” while Trump accused judges of being politically biased.
“We want to clean up corruption, but some judges are stopping us,” Trump said. “Maybe we need to take a closer look at these judges.”
The debate over Musk’s growing influence and the mass government layoffs is expected to continue, with both supporters and critics voicing strong opinions on the issue.
