On Wednesday, February 26, US President Trump (Trump) held his first cabinet meeting after taking office, and Musk, as a key figure in the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), also attended the meeting. He stated that he is providing technical support and that the DOGE is working on repairing government computers.
The White House announced earlier on Wednesday that Musk would be attending the cabinet meeting, as cabinet ministers would be hearing recommendations and guidance from Musk’s leadership in the Department of Government Efficiency.
During the meeting, Musk stood up to speak, saying he is “technical support” and that DOGE is doing a lot of work to “repair government computer systems.”
Musk attended the cabinet meeting wearing a black T-shirt with the words “Tech Support” printed on it.
Musk added that he has received “a lot of death threats” due to the work he is doing, which involves significant layoffs in government departments.
Last weekend, Musk sent an email urging federal employees to clarify their job roles or face the risk of unemployment. Subsequently, one million federal employees responded.
When asked about this email, Musk clarified that it was not a “performance evaluation” but a “pulse check review.”
CNN reported Musk as saying, “We believe there are many people listed on government payrolls who have passed away. This may be why they are unable to respond. Some of them aren’t real people, like they are essentially fictional characters getting paid.”
“So, we really want to find out, are these people real, are they alive, do they write emails?” Musk added.
He emphasized that it would require the support of “everyone present” to achieve reforms for federal employees. Musk also acknowledged that he envisions significant reform within the US government involving cutting some key positions.
He specifically mentioned that the US Agency for International Development’s Ebola prevention program was “accidentally” cut, but assured that this decision would be swiftly reversed.
When discussing Musk’s work, Trump said, “They (cabinet ministers) have a lot of respect for Elon, and for what he’s doing. Some people are a little bit opposed. But I can tell you, in most cases, I think everyone is not only happy but very excited.”
White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles answered questions about Musk’s role in the government during a closed-door lunch with Republican senators.
Senator Josh Hawley stated that Wiles outlined the “basic points” of Musk’s work, noting that Musk reports directly to Trump – not the cabinet ministers.
“Musk works directly with the president, and then the president works with the cabinet.,” Hawley said. He also mentioned that Wiles provided a workflow description of Musk and Trump’s collaboration.
Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville said Wiles explained Musk’s “process, what they do, and how they do it… how Elon manages it, how he hires people, puts them together, where they go, what their next steps are.”