President Donald Trump praised Elon Musk’s work with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), but encouraged him to “get more aggressive.”
“ELON IS DOING A GREAT JOB, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE HIM GET MORE AGGRESSIVE,” Trump wrote on Truth Social Saturday morning. “REMEMBER, WE HAVE A COUNTRY TO SAVE, BUT ULTIMATELY, TO MAKE GREATER THAN EVER BEFORE. MAGA!”
Musk, who was appointed to lead the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has spearheaded an initiative to downsize the federal workforce. Since Trump’s inauguration on January 20, DOGE has implemented a 10% reduction in government employees, cutting more than 77,000 positions through a buyout program. The department claims these cuts have saved over $55 billion.
The Tesla and SpaceX CEO recently addressed the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), where he wielded a chainsaw before sharing his lighthearted approach to his recent work in the public sector. “We are trying to get good things done,” he said, wearing sunglasses for the entirety of his thirty minutes on stage. “Ultimately, have a good time doing it and have a sense of humor.”
Despite the administration’s praise for Musk’s efforts, the scope of the layoffs has drawn criticism, as has the DOGE team’s unprecedented access to and authority over government systems.
The chaotic manner with which the decisions are carried out has also faced scrutiny. Some workers were fired and brought back, only to be fired again. Federal workers in probationary periods—who can be dismissed without cause—have been among the hardest hit, with the Department of Veterans Affairs, NIH, and IRS seeing significant cuts.
Source : https://www.latintimes.com/trump-says-elon-musk-doing-great-job-get-more-aggressive-576448