1 month ago
Last Updated:March 07, 2025, 17:46 IST
Donald Trump has drawn boundaries for Elon Musk and his DOGE regarding government workforce decisions, according to reports. He announced his decision at a Cabinet meeting in presence of Musk.
Donald Trump sets limits for Elon Musk and DOGE (Photo: Reuters)
US President Donald Trump has told Elon Musk to his face at a Cabinet meeting that the heads of departments and not the billionaire’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) will make decisions on hirings and firings, according to reports.
Trump made it clear to Musk, who has been asking federal employees to justify their work or risk termination lately – an approach that many in the administration saw as aggressive, raising alarm – that DOGE was only to play the advisory role.
He announced his decision in a cabinet meeting on March 6, which was attended by Musk, according to two administration officials who told Politico about the inside details.
During the key meeting, Trump told his top officials that Musk may recommend cuts, however, he cannot make decisions unilaterally. Musk acknowledged the President’s directives, as per reports.
He also admitted that his department had made some missteps, reports said.
Trump Draws The Line For Musk?
Trump’s move is being seen as drawing the line for Musk in the administration.
“We just had a meeting with most of the Secretaries, Elon, and others, and it was a very positive one," Trump wrote on Truth Social.
This was the second Cabinet meeting that Musk attended. In the first, he had claimed that he was receiving death threats for the work he was doing in DOGE.
Initially, he presented DOGE as a “support function" aimed at assisting federal agencies in achieving a 15% reduction in fraud and waste. However, according to an NBC report, this latest meeting marked Trump’s first decisive effort to establish Musk’s boundaries.
Trump also talked to reporters at the Oval Office about his directive.
“Keep all the people you want, all the people that you need. We’re going to be watching them, and Elon and the group, we’re going to be watching them. And if they can cut, it’s better. And if they don’t cut, then Elon will do the cutting," ABC News quoted Trump as saying.
Trump’s move to define Musk’s limits in his administration comes at a time when he was facing mounting political pressure from Republicans.
Recently, Senate Majority Leader John Thune told CNN that it should not be Elon Musk but the Cabinet secretaries with a final call on employment within the government.
Concerns grew even further after Musk held a closed-door meeting with Senate Republicans on March 5 to address the increasing voter backlash over mass layoffs.
Location :Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)
First Published:March 07, 2025, 17:43 IST
News world At Cabinet Meet, Donald Trump Draws The Line For Elon Musk Over Govt Hirings And Firings: Report
