In the first weeks of Trump’s term, Musk has spearheaded the effort to rapidly shrink the federal government. Doge representatives have entered various departments to monitor spending, offered millions of workers an exit route and moved to freeze federal funding as well as the work of agencies such as the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
“We found fraud and abuse,” Trump said of Musk’s work on Tuesday, without providing evidence. He estimated more than $1 trillion in wasteful spending would be discovered although gave no further details.
The vast cost-cutting drive has been criticised repeatedly by opponents including senior Democrats and those who say it will have significant repercussions both in the US and internationally.
“An unelected shadow government is conducting a hostile takeover of the federal government,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said recently. He said Democrats would work to block Musk’s efforts by introducing specific language into spending bills.
But with Republicans holding a majority in both chambers of Congress, Trump’s agenda has faced more pressing hurdles in the courtroom.
“I hope that the court system is going to allow us to do what we have to do,” Trump said on Tuesday, referring to recent judgments that have temporarily halted his efforts to shrink government, including through an employee buyout programme.
Critics of Doge have also pointed to potential conflicts of interest given Musk’s many business interests. Democrats have accused him of personally benefiting from some of the changes the Trump administration is trying to push through.
Musk said the public could take its own view about potential conflicts. Trump then said if the White House thought there was a lack of transparency or a conflict of interest, “we would not let him do that segment or look in that area”.
Trump then signed an executive order instructing Doge to “significantly” cut down the size of the federal workforce. The order also calls on government offices to “undertake plans for large-scale reductions in force”.
It also says that once a hiring freeze that Trump signed on his first day ends, that agencies should hire no more than one person for every four who depart.
A recent poll by the BBC’s US partner CBS News indicated a majority of Americans are in favour of Musk’s work, but disagree over how much influence he should have.
It suggested Republicans in particular supported his efforts to cut federal spending and foreign aid.
The poll indicated largely favourable ratings for Trump’s policies, however, some 66% of people said they wanted him to focus more on lowering prices.
One of the agencies that has been most affected by the cost-cutting drive is USAID.
On Tuesday, the inspector general of the agency was fired – one day after releasing a report criticising plans to put the vast majority of the agency’s staff on leave and close US-backed aid programmes around the world. BBC
