Elon Musk on Tuesday defended his “Department of Government Efficiency” against critics, saying the unaccountable cost-slashing task force represents the will of American voters who elected President Donald Trump.
“That’s what democracy is all about,” said Musk, who contributed more than $250 million to getting Trump elected. Musk, with one of his young sons in tow, stood alongside Trump in the Oval Office during the press event.
U.S. President Donald Trump is joined by Elon Musk and his son as he signs a series of executive orders in the Oval Office at the White House on Feb. 11, 2025 in Washington, DC.
Andrew Harnik | Getty Images
Musk — the world’s richest man and the leader of Tesla, SpaceX and X — also pushed back on concerns about whether his work in government creates conflicts of interest, saying he is trying to be as transparent as possible.
DOGE, which aims to cut spending by snuffing out purported waste and bureaucracy, has swept through the government and forced the shutdown of numerous federal contracts and agencies.
The slash-and-burn tactics being carried out by a controversial group of staffers have stoked outrage and panic from critics and spurred multiple lawsuits.
Trump said in the Oval Office that if he needs Congress to vote to approve his administration’s efforts to reshape the government, that would be fine with him.
But he questioned the judges who have issued rulings that effectively paused those efforts, claiming it “gives crooked people more time to cover up the books.”
Elon Musk speaks as his son X Æ A-12 and U.S. President Donald Trump listen in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., Feb. 11, 2025.
Kevin Lamarque | Reuters
This is developing news. Please check back for updates.
