Elon Musk has begun swinging his wrecking ball at the U.S. government, with concerns growing over the unprecedented power that President Donald Trump has handed to the world's richest man.
The South African born billionaire has taken control over the U.S. Treasury's payments system that manages trillions of dollars. He single-handedly announced the demise of the USAID humanitarian agency. He has helped drive out top officials.
For a man who likes to rail against unelected bureaucrats, the unelected Space X and Tesla tycoon has been subject to little accountability as he pushes Trump's drive to shrink the U.S. government.
Trump sought to play down the issue Monday when asked about it in the Oval Office, saying "Elon can't do and won't do anything without our approval."
"We'll give him the approval where appropriate, where not appropriate we won't. But he reports in," insisted Trump. "It's something that he feels very strongly about and I'm impressed."
Musk's powers have seemed almost unbounded, leading to accusations by Democrats of an unconstitutional power grab by both him and his fellow business mogul Trump.
So far Musk has been registered as neither a federal employee nor a government official -- although U.S. media reported Monday that he had now been registered as a "special government employee."
Critics point to the fact that Musk was the biggest donor to Trump's victorious election campaign, to the tune of a quarter of a billion dollars.
Then there is the fact that his companies also have huge US government contracts.
And while a cute cartoon dog initially adorned the website of Musk's "Department of Government Efficiency" (DOGE), its later replacement by a dollar sign in a gold circle underscored what the focus would be.
His young team of so-called "Doge Kids," drawn from his own companies, dramatically seized control of the U.S .Treasury Department's payments system and took key government positions.
They have helped push a drive to get federal employees to take severance payments and quit, with an email that closely resembles a message sent to Twitter employees when Musk took over and later renamed the social network X.
Musk personally announced that the massive USAID humanitarian agency would be "shutting down" -- during a live chat on X -- and branded it a "criminal organization."
Their no-holds barred style has raised eyebrows.
A dramatic stand-off reportedly ensued when Musk's aides demanded access to a secure room at USAID where classified information was held.
There was a similar situation when a career Treasury official was reportedly put on administrative leave after refusing such access to aides.
And the head of the Federal Aviation Administration stepped down on Inauguration Day after Musk had criticized the agency's oversight of rocket launches. Days later Trump had to rush to appoint a new head after a deadly passenger jet crash in Washington.
A controversy over a raised-arm salute by Musk on the day of Trump's inauguration only added to the controversy.
Trump insisted Monday that "if there's a conflict we won't let him get near it" -- but that did not calm critics.
Democrats, who have been largely silent during Trump's first shock-and-awe two weeks in power, began to mobilize against the latest Musk moves.
"No one elected Elon Musk," Senator Elizabeth Warren said.
Democrats on the House Ways and Means Committee were holding an emergency call partly devoted to the issue.
They have bitterly criticized DOGE as an unconstitutional attempt to exert presidential power over funds approved by Congress.
"It's like letting a tiger into the petting zoo and hoping for the best," Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Monday.
Speaking at a protest by USAID workers, Senator Chris Van Hollen said "this Elon Musk attempted takeover... will not stand."
Washington is however closely watching to see if the egos of two consummate showmen like Trump and Musk can survive in the same White House for long.
Indeed Musk is reportedly not in the same building, after being denied a West Wing office for his staff, and getting premises instead in the Eisenhower Building, a separate part of the White House complex.
© 2025 AFP
22 Comments
TaiwanIsNotChina
Everyone including Elmo should do the proper background checks and be subject to the same oversight.
I'veSeenFootage
An unelected, unvetted bunch of rich little idiots who know absolutely nothing about government and its workings just taking over the treasury department should send absolutely everyone into panic, MAGA fans included.
JJE
It hasn't quite sunk in yet has it: people trust Musk.
It should be ringing alarm bells: audits are never fun and we all know he will find all manner of abuse and this one's not going to be pretty.
I'veSeenFootage
*citations needed
Why even pretend to be anywhere close to impartial when you're already convinced there is abuse (in a departement you know absolutely nothing about)? You MAGA people will do anything to protect and defend the elites, really.
asdfgtr
@JJE,
Comedy gold comrade.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UldI1xIb0E&ab_channel=Thunderf00t
Tokyo Guy
Fox News new chyron: "Giving your social security number, name, address, and medical and financial history to Elon Musk is an act of patriotism".
wallace
An unelected official with access to vast amounts of government data and shutting out federal workers from computers and their offices. The Trump-Musk bromance won't last—conflict of egos.
Tokyo Guy
It hasn't quite sunk in yet has it: people trust Musk.
If we take that to be true, it says a great deal about our collective powers of judgement.
Then again, we elected Trump twice, so our collective powers of judgement have been fried for quite a while.
bass4funk
Oh, I disagree with that.
Peter Neil
should be disagreeing with shutting out employees and giving musk’s teenage helpers access, thus control, of that data.
Ken
This is the equivalent of "paying someone under the table" to avoid taxes and cheat the system. We know they already control the stocks and crypto and this way Musk can continue doing illegal stuff while running a country he isn't qualified for
Bad Haircut
The left liked Musk - he was basically one of them if a pretty moderate one - until he bought Twitter and cleaned out the extremist censors. Now they hate him with immeasurable passion. Yet woof he were doing this on behalf of the Democrats, it would be perfectly fine for them.
It's never about the principle, only the side.
GBR48
Is Trump using the royal 'we' now?
I'veSeenFootage
Nope.
Cephus
"For a man who likes to rail against unelected bureaucrats, the unelected Space X and Tesla tycoon has been subject to little accountability as he pushes Trump's drive to shrink the U.S. government."
So according to the above logic every auditor should elected bureaucrats pathetic!
rainyday
Yeah its also funny how the right went from hating Musk to absolutely loving him the second he bought Trump and started doing Heil Hitler salutes.
Very interesting set of principles at work there.
bass4funk
Naw, I disagree with the Dems out of control frivolous spending that needs to stop.
Wrong, not sure where you got that from, but the right didn't hate Musk, the guy was never really that political, historically speaking, he was semi-neutral
There were no Hitler salutes. The guy has autism, and when you have that, you often do sporadic and awkward body movements, and he has in the past, so why the left says this continuously, KNOWING that it is a lie, is beyond me.
Indeed....
ClippetyClop
Lol, what a load of deliberate self-deluding rubbish. He sounds like a DEI hire. You know as much about autism as you do about (insert topic here).
Maybe Musk is turning into Dr. Strangelove?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddWNMSUbcGI&t=15s
bass4funk
Well, then the left should be careful with their words.
I have a relative with it, so yes, I do know all too well, not something to laugh at or make fun about.
As I said, the left will stay a marginalized party and not get elected to anything for a very long time; I proved my point once again: they will never learn, and losing was the best thing that could happen to the party.
Geeter Mckluskie
Sounding alarm bells to the grifters.
Geeter Mckluskie
Sounds to me like he's doing exactly the job he was appointed to do.
Tokyo Guy
There were no Hitler salutes. The guy has autism, and when you have that, you often do sporadic and awkward body movements, and he has in the past, so why the left says this continuously, KNOWING that it is a lie, is beyond me.
“The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.”