The owner of SpaceX and Tesla, whose companies have grown thanks to federal contracts and aid, already has a new job at the head of the “Department of Government Efficiency” that will be in charge of applying “drastic” reforms in public spending. Donald Trump announced early Wednesday morning that Elon Musk, along with Republican Vivek Ramaswamy, would be in charge of eliminating “the enormous waste and fraud” in government spending. In the statement, Trump defines it as “the Manhattan Project” of our time, drawing a parallel with the US government’s secret plan to create the atomic bomb.
After pumping at least $130 million into the Republican’s presidential campaign, Musk is now getting paid. The creation of DOGE – as it is called in its English acronym and which is a nod to the world of cryptocurrencies – was the idea of Musk himself, who suggested to Trump the need to cut public spending during the interview he did with him in September. on his platform
The DOGE will operate “from outside the Government and will partner with the White House and the Office of Management and Budget to drive large-scale structural reform,” according to Trump. “This will generate an earthquake in the system, and anyone involved in government waste – and there are many – will notice,” Musk said. During the campaign, the billionaire said he would cut at least “at least $2 trillion” from annual spending.
Musk and Ramaswamy’s mission will conclude on July 4, 2026, the statement explains. After that date, Trump hopes that DOGE will leave behind “a smaller government, with greater efficiency and less bureaucracy,” which “will be the perfect gift to the United States on the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.” “I look forward to seeing Elon and Vivek make changes to the federal bureaucracy with a focus on efficiency while improving the lives of all Americans,” said the magnate.
Details of how many workers there will be in the department or how it will operate remain unclear. Although it is clear that it will have a strong impact on government officials. Republicans control the Senate and are on track to also control the House of Representatives, which would make it much easier for Trump to legislatively process changes to how the federal budget is regulated and spent.
“A threat to democracy? No, a threat to bureaucracy!” Musk celebrated in his X profile shortly after the position was made official. Beyond having power over where the scissors will pass, Musk will also have power over the regulators that affect his two companies: Tesla and SpaceX. Last year, the rocket company SpaceX alone signed almost 100 different contracts with 17 federal agencies worth $3 billion, according to the report. 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 be at the head of a body that aims to reduce government agencies and eliminate excess regularization under the premise of making the administration more efficient. Musk will have power over those 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 in the primary process against Trump and quickly supported his candidacy. Since then he has become one of the many figures that orbit around the tycoon. During the primary campaign, Ramaswamy promoted extreme cuts to the federal government, at one point proposing reducing the workforce by more than 75%.
An anti-woke veteran for Defense
Trump has also already 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 ratified by the Senate, where Republicans have 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 back down,” Trump said in the statement sent early this Wednesday. Although what may attract the magnate’s attention the most is that Hegseth also shares a good part of his vision about the role of the United States in NATO and the current situation of the US army.
Hegseth’s criticism of European allies is reminiscent of Trump’s on defense spending: “Maybe if NATO countries really paid for their own defense… but they don’t. They only talk about the rules while they dismantle their armies and shout at the United States for help.”
The future Secretary of Defense has on several occasions been critical of Pentagon leaders, whom he considers have applied “woke” policies. In an interview on CNN just a week ago, Hegseth argued that women “should not” play combat roles in the military.
For days now, nervousness has been unleashed among senior Pentagon officials, who already feared that the incoming Trump administration could order the dismissal of the head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General CQ Brown due to the difference in visions, according to Politico. The appointment of Hegseth, who accused Brown of “promoting the radical positions of left-wing politicians,” will undoubtedly fuel further unrest.
Source: www.eldiario.es
