US president claims DOGE will save a whole bunch of billions of {dollars} with out slicing healthcare and welfare advantages.
United States President Donald Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk have defended their sweeping cost-cutting drive in a joint interview through which the 2 males lavished one another with reward.
In an interview with Fox Information that aired on Tuesday, Trump mentioned he had tapped Musk to lead the so-called Division of Authorities Effectivity (DOGE) as he needed somebody “actually good” to work with.
“I respect him; I’ve at all times revered him. I by no means knew that he was proper on sure issues, and I’m often fairly good at these items. He did Starlink, he did issues that had been so superior and no person knew what the hell they had been,” Trump advised Fox Information host Sean Hannity, referring to Musk’s satellite tv for pc web service.
Trump mentioned that Musk and his “100 geniuses” had been making certain his government orders acquired carried out to keep away from the expertise of previous administrations that had been annoyed by forms.
“He has acquired some very sensible younger folks working for him that gown a lot worse than him truly. They gown in simply t-shirts; you wouldn’t know they’ve 180 IQ,” Trump mentioned, praising Musk as a “chief” who “will get it finished”.
Musk, in flip, showered Trump with reward.
“I really like the president. I need to be clear about that,” Musk mentioned. “I feel that President Trump is an efficient man.”
“The president has been so unfairly attacked within the media – it’s actually outrageous,” the Tesla and SpaceX CEO continued.
“At this level, I’ve spent a whole lot of time with the president, and never as soon as have I seen him do one thing that was imply or merciless or mistaken. Not as soon as.”
The 2 males additionally mocked solutions by some critics that Musk had usurped Trump’s authority as president.
“Truly, Elon known as me. He mentioned, ‘You realize they’re making an attempt to drive us aside.’ I mentioned, ‘Completely,’” Trump mentioned.
“You realize, they mentioned, ‘We’ve breaking information. Donald Trump has ceded management of the presidency to Elon Musk. President Musk can be attending a Cupboard assembly tonight at eight o’clock.’ And I mentioned, ‘It’s simply so apparent.’ Persons are good, they get it.”
Musk’s DOGE has overseen the laying off of about 20,000 federal authorities staff to this point and earmarked some 200,000 extra for dismissal.
Critics have accused Musk of appearing with out legal authority, slicing authorities capabilities haphazardly with out correct consideration and jeopardising Individuals’ privateness by looking for access to sensitive data corresponding to taxpayer info.
Issues have additionally been raised in regards to the South African-born billionaire’s affect over the federal government on condition that he doesn’t maintain elected workplace.
In Tuesday’s interview, Trump claimed that DOGE would have the ability to discover “a whole bunch of billions” of {dollars} in financial savings with out making cuts to Social Safety, Medicare or Medicaid advantages regardless of these programmes making up practically half of presidency spending.
“It’s going to be strengthened – however gained’t be touched. Medicare, Medicaid – none of that stuff goes to be touched,” he mentioned.
