Donald Trump adds Elon Musk to his administration to carry out “drastic” government reform

The owner of SpaceX and Tesla, whose companies have flourished thanks to federal contracts and aid, already has a new job at the head of a “department of government efficiency” that will be in charge of implementing “drastic” reforms in public spending. Donald Trump announced Wednesday morning that Elon Musk, along with Republican Vivek Ramaswamy, will be in charge of eliminating “massive waste and fraud” in government spending. In the statement, Trump defined it as the “Manhattan Project” of our time, drawing a parallel to the US government’s secret plan to build an atomic bomb.

After pumping at least $130 million into the Republican presidential campaign, Musk is now getting paid. The creation of DOGE – as it is called by its English acronym and which is a nod to the world of cryptocurrencies – was the idea of ​​Musk himself, who asked Trump to cut public spending during an interview he conducted with him. Was suggested. on September.

According to Trump, Doge will “work from outside the government and with the White House and the Office of Management and Budget to drive massive structural reform.” “This will generate an earthquake in the system, and anyone involved in government waste – and many – will notice,” Musk said. During the campaign, the billionaire said he would cut “at least $2 trillion” from annual spending.

The statement said that the mission of Musk and Ramaswamy will end on July 4, 2026. After that date, Trump hopes Doge will leave behind a “smaller government, with more efficiency and less bureaucracy,” which would be “the perfect gift to the United States on the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.” ” Magnate said, “I look forward to seeing Elon and Vivek transform the federal bureaucracy with a focus on efficiency while improving the lives of all Americans.”

Details about how many workers the department will have or how it will operate are unclear. However, it is clear that it will have a strong impact on government officials. Republicans control the Senate and are also on track to control the House of Representatives, making it much easier for Trump to legislatively change the process of how the federal budget is regulated and spent.

“A threat to democracy? No, a threat to bureaucracy! ” Beyond having power over where the scissors will pass, Musk will also have power over regulators that affect two of his companies: Tesla and SpaceX. Last year, rocket company SpaceX alone made $3 billion, according to the report. Signed approximately 100 separate contracts with 17 federal agencies. new York Times,

Musk’s companies have also been involved in various conflicts with federal regulators and have recently been the target of at least 20 investigations or reviews. Among them, the safety of its Tesla cars and the environmental damage caused by its rockets have been put under the microscope. Now, the billionaire will lead a body that aims to reduce government agencies and eliminate excess regularization on the basis of making the administration more efficient. Musk will have power over agencies and processes that directly affect his businesses and interests. Without a doubt, “a star is born,” as Trump said

Joining Musk will be Ramaswamy, who lost the primary process against Trump and quickly endorsed his candidacy. Since then he has become one of the many figures who orbit around the tycoon. During the primary campaign, Ramaswamy promoted extreme cuts to the federal government, at one point proposing cuts to the workforce of more than 75%.

An Anti-Woke Veteran to the Defense

Trump has also announced who will lead the Department of Defense under his presidency. Fox network commentator and war veteran Pete Hegseth, 44, has been chosen. His appointment must be confirmed by the Senate, where Republicans hold the majority.

“Pete is strong, smart and a true believer in the America First policy. With Pete in command, the enemies of the United States are warned: Our military will be great again, and America will never return,” Trump said in the statement earlier this Wednesday. Although he may attract the attention of magnates, Hegseth also shares a good deal of his vision regarding the role of the United States in NATO and the current state of the US military.

Hegseth’s criticism of European allies is reminiscent of Trump’s defense spending: “Maybe if NATO countries actually paid for their own defense … but they don’t. They only talk about rules while they destroy their armies and scream at the United States for help. ,

The future Secretary of Defense has on several occasions been critical of Pentagon leaders, whom he perceived to have implemented “woke” policies. In an interview on CNN just a week earlier, Hegseth argued that women “should not” have combat roles in the military.

For days now, there has been nervousness among senior Pentagon officials, who already feared that the incoming Trump administration would oust the head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. C.Q., due to a difference in vision, according to Politico. Brown ordered dismissed. The appointment of Hegseth, who accused Brown of “promoting the radical positions of left-wing politicians”, will undoubtedly fuel further unrest.