The owner of SpaceX and Tesla, whose companies have grown thanks to contracts and federal aid, already takes a new position at the head of the “Department of Government Efficiency” which will be responsible for implementing “drastic” reforms public spending. Donald Trump announced early Wednesday morning that Elon Musk, alongside Republican Vivek Ramaswamy, would be tasked with eliminating “tremendous waste and fraud” in government spending. In his statement, Trump called it “the Manhattan Project” of our time, drawing parallels with the U.S. government’s secret plan to create the atomic bomb.
After injecting at least $130 million into the Republican presidential campaign, Musk is now getting paid. The creation of DOGE – as it is called in its English acronym and which is a nod to the world of cryptocurrencies – was the idea of Musk himself, who suggested to Trump the need to reduce spending public during the interview he did with him. in September on its platform.
DOGE will operate “from outside of government and partner with the White House and the Office of Management and Budget to pursue large-scale structural reform,” according to Trump. “It will generate an earthquake in the system, and anyone involved in government waste – and there are many – will notice it,” Musk said. During the campaign, the billionaire said he would cut at least “at least $2 trillion” in annual spending.
Musk and Ramaswamy’s mission will end on July 4, 2026, the press release explains. After that date, Trump hopes DOGE will leave behind “a smaller government, with greater efficiency and less bureaucracy,” which “will be the perfect gift for the United States on the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of independence.” “I look forward to watching Elon and Vivek bring change to the federal bureaucracy with a focus on efficiency while improving the lives of all Americans,” the mogul said.
Details on how many workers the department will have or how it will operate remain unclear. Although it is clear that this will have a significant impact on government officials. Republicans control the Senate and are on track to also control the House of Representatives, which would make it easier for Trump to legislatively address changes in how the federal budget is regulated and spent.
“A threat to democracy? No, a threat to the bureaucracy! » Musk celebrated in his X profile shortly after the position was made official. In addition to having power over where the scissors go, Musk will also have power over the regulators that affect his two companies: Tesla and SpaceX. Last year, rocket company SpaceX alone signed nearly 100 different contracts with 17 federal agencies worth $3 billion, according to the report. New York Times.
Musk’s companies have also been involved in various disputes with federal regulators and have recently been the target of at least 20 investigations or reviews. Among them, the safety of its Tesla cars and the environmental damage caused by its rockets have been scrutinized. Now the billionaire will lead an organization that aims to shrink government agencies and eliminate excessive regularizations in a bid to make administration more efficient. Musk will have power over agencies and processes that directly affect his businesses and interests. Without a doubt, “a star is born”, as Trump said
Ramaswamy, who lost in the primary process to Trump and quickly endorsed his candidacy, will join Musk. Since then, he has become one of the many figures who revolve around the tycoon. During the primary campaign, Ramaswamy encouraged extreme cuts to the federal government, at one point proposing to reduce the workforce by more than 75 percent.
An anti-woke veteran for Defense
Trump has also already announced who will lead the Department of Defense under his presidency. Fox network commentator and war veteran Pete Hegseth, 44, was chosen. His nomination must be ratified by the Senate, where the Republicans are in the majority.
“Pete is strong, smart and truly believes in America First. With Pete in charge, America’s enemies are on notice: Our military will be great again, and America will never back down,” Trump said in the statement sent Wednesday morning. But what might catch the tycoon’s attention most is that Hegseth also shares much of his view on the role of the United States in NATO and the current situation of the American military.
Hegseth’s criticism of European allies is reminiscent of Trump’s criticism of defense spending: “Maybe if NATO countries really paid for their own defense…but they don’t.” They only talk about rules while they dismantle their armies and call on the United States for help.”
The future defense secretary has repeatedly criticized Pentagon leaders, who he says are pursuing “woke” policies. In a CNN interview just a week ago, Hegseth argued that women “shouldn’t” take a combat role in the military.
In recent days, nervousness has been unleashed among senior officials at the Pentagon, who already feared that the new Trump administration could order the dismissal of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General CQ Brown, due to differences of views, according to Politico. The nomination of Hegseth, who accused Brown of “promoting the radical positions of left-wing politicians,” will undoubtedly fuel further unrest.
