Elon Musk’s interest in such an initiative is not new.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has confirmed he wants to work with former President Donald Trump in auditing US agencies to identify programmes for cuts. The billionaire responded to a report by The Washington Post on X, saying, “I can’t wait. There is a lot of waste and needless regulation in government that needs to go.”
I can’t wait. There is a lot of waste and needless regulation in government that needs to go. https://t.co/BOh3MIv4sJ
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 3, 2024
Ahead of the 2024 Presidential elections, the Republican nominee is set to create a commission to audit US agencies and identify areas for cost-cutting. The proposed commission will include other business leaders such as Fred Smith, former CEO of FedEx, and Robert Nardelli, former CEO of Home Depot, as per the Washington Post.
Mr Musk’s interest in such an initiative is not new. Last month, he shared an AI-generated image of himself at a “Department of Government Efficiency” lectern, signalling his desire to contribute to the cause.
Donald Trump has previously acknowledged the Tesla CEO’s potential value as a consultant. However, ethics experts are concerned that Mr Musk’s involvement may lead to conflicts of interest between his business and the commission’s objectives.
Drawing inspiration from past initiatives by Ronald Reagan and Tom Coburn, Trump advisers are seeking to recruit prominent business leaders to identify areas of federal waste. The potential appointment of Mr Musk to a government efficiency commission comes as the Tesla CEO increases his political engagement. Recently, Mr Musk hired a Republican strategist to guide his political activities.
Mr Musk’s growing political influence was further highlighted by his recent poll on X, which asked voters to choose between Trump and Kamala Harris as their preferred president. He also sat down with the former president last month for a live interview, which was aired on his platform X. Donald Trump has also publicly praised Mr Musk, calling him “fantastic” and “brilliant.”
