Donald Trump Moves to Restrain Elon Musk, Says Cabinet Members In Charge of Staff Cuts- wna24

Washington: US President Donald Trump has made it clear to his cabinet members on Thursady that Elon Musk will not have the final say on hiring, firing, or policy decisions in their departments, as per a Reuters report. The meeting was called after growing concerns over Musk’s aggressive cost-cutting measures under his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has led to mass layoffs and uncertainty among federal employees. 

Trump told his cabinet that their decisions on staffing and policies would be final, and that Musk’s role would remain purely advisory. Musk, who was present in the meeting, agreed with the decision, Reuters quoted a source. 

The meeting was called after several complaints about DOGE’s strict actions against federal employees, including Trump’s own chief of staff, Susan Wiles. 

Susan Wiles had earlier warned Musk not to overstep his role and even stopped him from entering the West Wing of the White House. Meanwhile, Republican lawmakers have been receiving angry calls from their voters about the mass job cuts in government offices. The White House Office of Legislative Affairs has been flooded with complaints from across the country. 

While defending Musk’s efficiency drive, Trump made it clear that there needed to be a balance.  

“I want the numbers, but I also want to keep the good people,” Trump told reporters after the meeting.  

He later posted on Truth Social, “It’s important to cut levels down, but also important to keep the best and most productive people. We say the ‘scalpel’ rather than the ‘hatchet.'”  

Trump also thanked Musk in his first Congress addresss after assuming office. He thanked DOGE and its Chief, Elon Musk, for their recent contributions to cost-cutting efforts.

Government Layoffs and Backlash

DOGE’s efforts have already led to over 100,000 job cuts from the federal workforce of 2.3 million, creating uncertainty and anxiety among employees. Earlier, Musk had sent a message to all federal workers, instructing them to submit reports on their work or risk losing their jobs.  

DOGE recently sent an email to all federal employees, asking them to submit detailed reports on their work before a deadline. The email warned that those who failed to comply would lose their jobs. This move sparked fear and uncertainty among government employees, with many unsure about their future.  

The White House Office of Legislative Affairs has been flooded with calls from Republican lawmakers, who are facing heat from their voters over the mass layoffs. Several government departments have also been struggling to function after DOGE’s cost-cutting spree, forcing them to rehire staff for critical areas like nuclear security and bird flu research.  

READ MORE: ‘Thank You Very Much’: Trump Thanks Musk For DOGE Cuts | Republic World

Trump’s latest meeting marks a shift in tone. During his first full cabinet meeting last week, he allowed Musk to deliver a monologue about DOGE and jokingly asked, “Is anybody unhappy with Elon?” to scattered laughter.  

At last month’s Conservative Political Action Conference, Musk took the stage with a chainsaw—symbolizing his push to slash government jobs. However, Thursday’s meeting showed Trump stepping in to put limits on Musk’s authority.