Elon Musk, the co-chair of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has claimed to have received a “lot of death threats” over his work that involved hundreds of people losing their jobs.
“We spend a lot on the Defence Department. We spend over $1 trillion on interest. If this continues, the country will become de facto bankrupt. It’s not an optional thing. It is essential. That’s the reason I am here. I am taking a lot of flak, and getting a lot of death threats,” CNN quoted Musk, donning a T-Shirt that said ‘tech support’ and a cap that said ‘Make America Great Again’, a tagline used by Republicans.
“President Trump has put together the best Cabinet ever. And I do not give false praise. This is an incredible group of people. I don’t think such a talented team has ever been assembled,” Musk said.
Musk is not a cabinet-level official — and faced no approval by the US Senate — and the White House has claimed in court papers that he is not in charge of DOGE, even though Trump has said he is and Musk aides staff DOGE.
Trump said that some members of his Cabinet “disagree a little bit” with Elon Musk.
“Anybody unhappy with Elon? If you are, then we’ll throw them out of here,” Trump said, prompting varying levels of applause from the Cabinet members seated around the table in the Cabinet Room.
Trump had signed an executive order directing agencies to work with DOGE to review and terminate all “unnecessary” contracts and instructing the General Services Administration, which manages the government’s real estate, to create a plan for disposing of any unneeded property.
