President Donald Trump (left) said that Elon Musk (right) is tasked with making recommendations, not unilateral decisions (Picture: Reuters; MEGA)
President Donald Trump has indicated limits on Elon Musk’s power in the US government for the first time.
Trump’s move comes after his Cabinet members were reportedly frustrated with staff firing mandates that Musk has issued as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
The president in a Cabinet meeting on Thursday afternoon, after signing an executive order to pause tariffs on Mexico and Canada, remarked on an morning meeting with his secretaries that he said was about ‘cutting’.
Trump told Cabinet members to ‘go first’ in finding any positions that should be eliminated to reduce bloat and to ‘keep the good people’ – as many as needed.
‘We’re going to be watching them, and Elon and the group, we’re going to be watching them,’ said Trump.
‘And if they can cut, it’s better. And if they don’t cut, then Elon will do the cutting.’
Thousands of federal workers have been terminated after being identified by DOGE, and Musk’s department recently announced that the government is saving $105billion.
In the morning meeting, which Musk attended, Trump told his secretaries that the X (formerly Twitter) and Tesla owner is tasked with providing recommendations but not undisputable decisions, two administration officials told Politico.
Afterward, Musk wrote on X that it was a ‘very productive meeting’.
Trump’s own post on Truth Social seemed to reiterate the new limits on Musk.
‘As the Secretaries learn about, and understand, the people working for the various Departments, they can be very precise as to who will remain, and who will go. We say the “scalpel” rather than the “hatchet,”‘ wrote Trump.
‘The combination of them, Elon, DOGE, and other great people will be able to do things at a historic level.’
Musk has been a constant presence at the White House and already attended numerous Cabinet meetings, including one last week when he wore a ‘tech support’ T-shirt and dark MAGA hat while all the secretaries dressed in suit and tie or formal attire.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Wednesday defended Musk when a reporter mentioned that he does not wear a suit but that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was criticized for wearing wartime attire while visiting the Oval Office.
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