Elon Musk Defends Cost-Cutting Plans During Surprise Appearance at the White House

Elon Musk denied leading a "hostile takeover" of the US government and defended his cost-cutting plans during a surprise appearance at the White House on Tuesday.

The world's richest man took questions from reporters in the Oval Office alongside President Donald Trump, who tasked him with slashing the size and spending of the federal government.

Trump signed an order granting Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) more authority to reduce the federal workforce, instructing government agency heads to comply with Doge.

Despite criticism from Democrats who accuse the agency of lacking transparency, Musk described the sweeping government cuts as "common sense" measures that are "not draconian or radical".

"The people voted for major government reform and that's what they're going to get," Musk stated. "That's what democracy is all about."

Musk, appointed rather than elected, characterized federal workers as an "unelected, fourth, unconstitutional branch of government" with undue power.

Wearing a black Make America Great Again cap, Musk occasionally joked with reporters. He notably had his young son on his shoulders during the news conference.

"It's essential for America to remain solvent as a country," Musk asserted regarding the reduction of federal expenses.

Responding to questions about a recent false claim involving US government aid to Gaza, Musk admitted, "Some of the things that I say will be incorrect and should be corrected."

In the initial weeks of Trump's term, Musk has led efforts to rapidly shrink the federal government. Doge representatives have monitored spending, offered exit routes to millions of workers, frozen federal funding, and paused the work of agencies like the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

Trump claimed Musk found "fraud and abuse" without providing evidence, estimating over $1 trillion in wasteful spending would later be uncovered.

This extensive cost-cutting initiative has faced criticism from opponents, including senior Democrats who argue it could lead to significant repercussions domestically and internationally.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer labeled the situation a hostile takeover by an "unelected shadow government" and pledged efforts to block Musk's actions.

Despite Republican majorities in Congress, Trump's agenda has faced obstacles in the courts. "I hope that the court system is going to allow us to do what we have to do," Trump said on Tuesday.

Concerns regarding potential conflicts of interest were noted, especially given Musk's extensive business interests. However, Musk remarked that the public could form their own opinions about these conflicts.

Trump subsequently signed an executive order directing Doge to significantly reduce the size of the federal workforce. This also included plans for large-scale reductions in force and limited hiring to one person for every four who leave once a hiring freeze is lifted.

A recent CBS News poll revealed that a majority of Americans support Musk's initiatives, although opinions vary on how much influence he should have. Republican support for cuts to federal spending and foreign aid was notably strong.

However, while ratings for Trump's policies were generally positive, about 66% of people preferred he focus more on price reductions.

One agency most impacted by the cost-cutting efforts is USAID, which saw its inspector general fired shortly after criticizing plans to put most of the agency's staff on leave and shut down US-backed aid programs globally.