President Donald Trump has tasked Elon Musk, to lead an effort to identify and eliminate wasteful spending within federal agencies. In a recent Fox News interview, Trump said that the American people want him to take action to address government waste and abuse. Trump believes Musk will be crucial in identifying mismanagement.

 

Trump has directed Musk to audit the Pentagon, which has a budget approaching $1 trillion annually, to uncover fraud and abuse. In December, the defense spending for the fiscal year was authorized at $895 billion.

 

Musk's leadership of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has faced criticism, with some suggesting his actions are illegal and could expose classified information. Trump aims to reduce the size of the U.S. federal workforce, and Musk's team is seeking access to confidential data in government computer systems.

 

National Security Advisor Mike Waltz has pointed to the Pentagon's shipbuilding as needing significant reform to improve efficiency. Musk has already begun to shut down the US Agency for International Development and lay off employees. Trump has ordered that Musk will soon move to the Department of Education.