(Image source from: Twitter.com/elonmusk)
Billionaire Elon Musk participated in US President Donald Trump's initial cabinet meeting of his second term on Wednesday, amidst considerable backlash regarding extensive government reductions. Musk, who is at the helm of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an initiative focused on cutting costs by reducing the size of the federal government and diminishing expenditures, informed the cabinet that he had been receiving "a lot of death threats" due to his efforts. His comments followed Trump’s request for him to stand and elaborate on the operations of DOGE and the extent of the cuts being made.
“It’s a privilege to have you here. He’s been incredibly successful. He’s working tirelessly and has businesses to manage. People often ask, ‘How do you manage all this?’ He is making significant sacrifices and, while he receives a great deal of acclaim, he also faces significant challenges. This is to be expected, and that’s simply how it goes,” Trump remarked. Musk, donning his signature black "Make America Great Again" cap, then stood and referred to himself as "humble tech support."
“This may sound odd, but that description nearly captures the essence of what the DOGE team is doing — aiding in the improvement of outdated government computer systems. Many of these systems are antiquated, poorly integrated, and rife with errors. The software often malfunctions. We genuinely operate as tech support. It’s ironic, yet true,” he explained. Musk detailed that the "primary objective" of the DOGE team is to tackle the substantial deficit, stating, "If we don't take action, America will face bankruptcy." He further acknowledged, "I'm facing considerable backlash and receiving numerous death threats, by the way." Musk emphasized that "as a nation, we cannot maintain $2 trillion deficits," underscoring his commitment to the reformation effort.
He added that DOGE would inevitably "make mistakes" and "won’t achieve perfection.” He assured, “However, whenever we do err, we will rectify it swiftly.” Musk provided an example involving USAID, noting that they had, by accident, briefly halted Ebola prevention efforts. “I believe everyone supports Ebola prevention, so we promptly reinstated it, and there was no disruption,” he stated. He also highlighted the urgency for reform, noting that to accomplish a trillion-dollar deficit reduction by the fiscal year 2026, it necessitates saving $4 billion daily from now until the end of September. “But we can achieve this goal, and we will,” Musk confidently declared. His statements were made amidst reports in the US media indicating some cabinet officials had voiced annoyance over DOGE emails sent to all federal employees, asking them to validate their positions or face termination. "Is anyone dissatisfied with Elon? If they are, we’ll remove them,” Trump quipped, eliciting laughter and applause from the cabinet members.
"They hold Elon in high regard. While there are some differing opinions, I believe that, overall, most people are not just content but genuinely excited," remarked the 78-year-old Republican. Recently, a number of federal employees have chosen to resign in response to Elon Musk's decisions. This week, nearly one-third of the technology team at DOGE left their positions, expressing their unwillingness to contribute to anything that could jeopardize national security. Prior to the departure of around 20 employees from DOGE, federal workers had set up a platform named "We Are the Builders" to highlight the effects of DOGE’s actions. Additionally, numerous lawsuits have been initiated against Musk due to his threats or ultimatums. The largest union representing federal employees, the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), has committed to fight against what they describe as "unlawful" dismissals, labeling Musk as "unhinged." So far, approximately 100,000 of the nation’s 2.3 million civilian federal workforce have either lost their jobs or accepted buyout offers.
