In Washington, a significant meeting took place on Wednesday featuring Elon Musk, who made a remarkable appearance at President Donald Trump’s first Cabinet meeting of his new term. Musk arrived donning a black “Make America Great Again” hat and expressed his role as “humble tech support” for the federal government. He highlighted critical stakes involved in his cost-cutting mission, warning that failure could lead to America going bankrupt.
Addressing department heads gathered in the Cabinet Room, Musk emphasized the severe consequences if his initiatives weren’t successful. President Trump, known for enjoying the spotlight himself, seemed pleased to allow Musk to summarize the activities of the Department of Government Efficiency. Musk reported findings of troubling elements within the government and gained Trump’s recognition for the sacrifices involved, particularly considering Musk’s demanding schedule from his various business engagements.
Musk recounted the challenges faced, including receiving threats due to his swift governmental restructuring efforts, and jested while tapping his head regarding his ambitious goal to cut $1 trillion from the federal budget. This undertaking, however, has unsettled federal workers and those dependent on their operations.
To a considerable reaction, Musk defended his initiative where government employees were required to account for their weekly work under the possibility of job termination. Though criticized on grounds of national security and privacy, Musk portrayed it as a “pulse check” to ensure employees are genuinely engaged, capable, and present — a criteria he considered should not be difficult to fulfill.
Speculating on the legitimacy of some workers, Musk articulated the essential need for confirming that employees are active and communicative. When queried if the Cabinet members approved of Musk’s involvement, Trump humorously directed his Cabinet to express their views freely, jesting about dismissing dissenters, which garnered applause from those present.
The meeting returned to Musk, who lauded the president for assembling what he described as “the best Cabinet ever,” stressing that his commendation was sincere. Musk acknowledged potential errors in his cost-reduction agenda, citing a near-cancellation of Ebola prevention services due to the rapid contraction attempts within the U.S. Agency for International Development. Nonetheless, Musk assured that services were ultimately uninterrupted, a statement countered by a USAID official who indicated no funds had been disbursed under Trump’s foreign aid suspension.
The focus eventually shifted back to Trump, who elaborated on his initial achievements in office as the Cabinet listened in silence. Reporters invited to the session engaged with Trump by asking if he anticipated unwavering adherence to his policies, to which he affirmed with a definitive “of course, no exceptions.”
