President Donald Trump reiterated his support for billionaire Elon Musk, head of the Department of Government Efficiency, as Musk oversees the Trump administration’s efforts to rein in the federal bureaucracy.
“ELON IS DOING A GREAT JOB, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE HIM GET MORE AGGRESSIVE. REMEMBER, WE HAVE A COUNTRY TO SAVE, BUT ULTIMATELY, TO MAKE GREATER THAN EVER BEFORE. MAGA!” Trump said Saturday morning on Truth Social.
Musk shared a screenshot of the post on X, the social media platform he owns, and responded enthusiastically to Trump’s endorsement.
“Will do, Mr. President!” Musk retorted.
Trump’s post follows his joint interview with Musk on Fox News earlier this week, where Trump spoke highly of Musk’s team of DOGE engineers. Fox News primetime host Sean Hannity interviewed Trump and Musk for his eponymous show, and Trump emphasized the value of having DOGE ensure his executive orders are being implemented properly. The pair of billionaires praised and joked around with each other, while dismissing media speculation about an eventual falling out.
Musk is leading DOGE’s efforts to cut wasteful spending and reorganize administrative agencies, starting with the U.S. Agency for International Development. A judge on Friday greenlit Musk’s plans to dismantle USAID and fire the vast majority of its workforce to end its spending on left-wing causes worldwide.
Beyond that, Musk is sending DOGE engineers into other federal agencies to identify fraud and wasteful spending, with enthusiasm from the Trump administration and congressional Republicans. Notably, Trump has empowered DOGE to look into the Department of Defense’s budget, with the Pentagon having failed seven consecutive audits. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has expressed enthusiasm for DOGE and directed the Pentagon to find $50 billion of programs to cut from the budget.
Musk initially set the ambitious goal of cutting $2 trillion from the federal budget, but has since admitted that DOGE probably will not find that level of savings.
Federal employees and Democratic states have also taken various legal actions to prevent DOGE from accessing sensitive data and firing federal workers across numerous agencies. A judge ruled Friday that DOGE engineers cannot access sensitive Treasury Department data until further notice to prevent the disclosure of confidential information.
With over 200 million followers on X, Musk is Trump’s most prominent cheerleader on the platform, frequently posting in support of the President and his agenda. In total, Musk spent well over $200 million to help Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign through outside political action committees. The large sum pales in comparison to Musk’s $393 billion net worth, making it likely that he remains an influential political donor in addition to his social media presence and government work.