Trump Supports Musk: "Cooperate with DOGE Cost Reduction Plan"

President Donald Trump of the United States has reiterated his call for cooperation with the government efficiency department he established, DOGE. This move appears to support Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, who heads DOGE. Over the past week, Musk faced significant backlash as he undertook a sweeping restructuring of federal agencies, including the closure of the USAID and CFPB. On the 11th (local time), Musk visited the Oval Office at the White House to address allegations of overreach and illegality.

○ Criticism of Bureaucracy in Front of Trump

On this day, Musk visited the Oval Office to attend the signing ceremony of an executive order by President Trump. Wearing a black MAGA hat and carrying his son on his shoulders, he demonstrated his influence. He then participated in a 30-minute Q&A session with the president and reporters.

Musk stated, "DOGE employees are investigating various government agencies, reviewing computer systems and employee data, and reducing the size of the government through office closures and employee furloughs." He emphasized, "All actions of DOGE are being transparently disclosed," countering criticisms of overreach and illegality.

Emphasizing the necessity of organizational restructuring, Musk pointed out, "In many aspects, bureaucrats hold more power than elected representatives of the people." He added, "If there is no interaction between the government and the people and bureaucrats govern, we are living in a bureaucratic society, not a democracy. The people elect the president and Congress to decide what happens, which is contrary to unelected bureaucracy."

He also warned that the government could go bankrupt due to fiscal deficits if the organization is not restructured. He stressed, "It is surprising that interest payments on national debt exceed the Department of Defense budget," and "Reducing federal government spending is not a choice but a necessity."

○ Trump Defends Musk

President Trump also sided with Musk's criticism of the civil service. Trump stated, "If there was a lack of transparency or a conflict of interest, we would not have let him do the job," defending Musk. Despite speculation of a rift between Musk and Trump, as reported by Time magazine with Musk's photo on the cover, Trump expressed his trust in Musk.

According to Bloomberg, President Trump issued an executive order directing the OMB director to submit a plan to reduce the size of the federal workforce in cooperation with DOGE. The plan reportedly includes hiring one employee for every four who leave each government agency, excluding roles related to public safety, immigration enforcement, and law enforcement. Bloomberg noted, "It is unclear whether DOGE, a department within the White House, has the authority to carry out large-scale layoffs."

Criticism continues that Musk's companies are benefiting under the Trump administration. The New York Times reported, "Less than a month into President Trump's term, Musk's vast business empire is already in a much more advantageous position to benefit or is benefiting."

Agencies Investigating or Regulating Elon Musk's Companies / Photo: NYT Capture

Among the bureaucrats ousted in the process of reducing government size were those conducting investigations, law enforcement, and lawsuits against Musk's companies. According to the NYT, at least 11 federal agencies conducting more than 32 investigations into Musk's six companies, including SpaceX and Tesla, are affected by the Trump administration's government restructuring.

Reporter Han Kyung-jae