Trump Says Elon Musk ‘Won’t Do Anything Without Approval’ Amid Concerns Over His Political Influence- wna24
Washington: US President Donald Trump on Monday assured that billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk would not act independently in his new role as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), stating that every decision he makes will need administration approval.
Speaking at the signing of an executive order, Trump clarified concerns about Musk’s growing influence in government operations. “Elon can’t do and won’t do anything without our approval. We’ll give him approval where appropriate; where it’s not, we won’t,” he said, emphasizing that Musk’s power is limited to firing inefficient employees—only if the government agrees.
The Tesla and X (formerly known as Twitter) owner has been facing mounting criticism over his drastic cost-cutting measures in the US bureaucracy. His recent announcement of plans to reduce government spending by $1 trillion to $2 trillion annually—up to 30% of the federal budget—has sparked a political storm.
The Department of Treasury recently granted DOGE access to the government’s payment system for benefits, grants, and tax refunds, which manages trillions of dollars in transactions. This move has raised concerns about private control over public funds.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Senator Elizabeth Warren have led the attack against Musk’s growing authority. Clinton called him an “unelected oligarch” with access to citizens’ Social Security numbers, while Warren warned of dire consequences if Republicans allowed Musk to control government spending.
“No one elected Elon Musk,” Warren said. “As Donald Trump gives him access to personal information and lets him cut government funding, Republicans will have to own the consequences.”
Meanwhile, Musk has defended his actions, sharing data on X that DOGE has already saved $1 billion by cutting spending on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs.