Musk Hits Official in Trump's Office... "Bureaucracy Is Not Democracy"

Emphasizing the Justification for the Department of Government Efficiency with His Son
Warns, "If No Action on Fiscal Deficit, U.S. Will Go Bankrupt"
Responds to Conflict of Interest Allegations: "All Actions Are Transparently Disclosed"

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which serves as an advisory body in the Donald Trump administration, criticized bureaucracy and advocated for the need for large-scale layoffs of government employees and spending cuts led by DOGE.

According to reports from The New York Times (NYT) and CNN on the day, Musk stood beside President Trump in the White House Oval Office and stated that the restoration of democracy is the goal of the Trump administration and the mission of DOGE.

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and head of the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under the Donald Trump administration (left), is advocating for the necessity of large-scale civil servant layoffs and spending cuts led by the Department of Government Efficiency in the White House office on the 11th (local time). Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

This event marked the first time Musk appeared before reporters since the presidential election. Wearing a black MAGA (Make America Great Again) hat, he stood next to President Trump's Resolute Desk and defended the work promoted by DOGE for about 30 minutes. He also brought along his son, ‘X Æ A-Xii’.

Musk said, "In many ways, these (bureaucrats) have more power than the elected representatives of the people," and argued, "If there is no interaction between the government and the people and bureaucrats rule, then we are not living in a democracy but in a bureaucratic society." He added, "It's not that there are no good people in the federal government, but autonomous bureaucracy cannot be allowed. There must be a bureaucracy that responds to the people. That is the core of democracy."

Musk also hinted at the possibility of investigating federal employees who receive high salaries. He pointed out, "There are people in the bureaucratic organization who receive salaries of hundreds of thousands of dollars, and it is strange how they have accumulated tens of millions of dollars in net assets while holding those positions," adding, "They have become rich at the taxpayers' expense."

On the same day, President Trump signed an executive order to reduce federal government personnel and ban new hires, granting hiring authority to DOGE. The order requires consultation with DOGE when hiring new employees.

Alongside bureaucracy, Musk also addressed the federal deficit issue. He warned, "If no action is taken, the United States will go bankrupt," emphasizing the need to reduce federal spending to solve the fiscal deficit. He said, "It is truly astonishing that the interest on the national debt exceeds the Department of Defense budget," and added, "Reducing federal spending is not a choice but a necessity."

The U.S. fiscal deficit for the 2024 fiscal year is projected to reach $1.833 trillion, the highest ever except for the period during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Some have criticized Musk for intervening in agencies related to his companies. On the day, the NYT published an article titled "Trump’s Reforms Benefit Elon Musk’s Business Empire," stating, "Less than a month after President Trump took office, Musk’s vast business empire is already benefiting or is in a better position to benefit." Six of Musk’s companies are currently under investigation or regulatory actions by 11 federal agencies.

In response, Musk said, "All actions of DOGE are transparently disclosed." President Trump supported Musk, saying, "If there were a lack of transparency or conflicts of interest, I would not have let him do this job."

Regarding the federal employee retirement program led by DOGE being blocked by the courts, President Trump said, "It is unbelievable that judges are trying to stop us from rooting out corruption," adding, "This is very serious. Maybe we need to look into the judges."

On the 8th, Judge Paul Engelmayer of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York said that "basic controls by the Treasury Department are necessary" when blocking DOGE’s access to the Treasury payment system.

Regarding the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which the Trump administration is seeking to close, President Trump criticized it as "incompetent and corrupt," while Musk claimed, "USAID tried to influence elections in suspicious ways," though he did not provide specific evidence.