Former US President Donald Trump has appointed Elon Musk to lead the newly formed government efficiency commission.
As Donald Trump campaigns for re-election, he continues to advocate for major shifts in the way the U.S. government operates. In a speech at the Economic Club of New York, the former US President laid out his economic plans for a potential second term, expressing support for a government efficiency commission proposed by Elon Musk.
Trump who has also become a vocal supporter of cryptocurrencies, outlined plans to incorporate digital assets into government functions while addressing concerns about federal spending.
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In a significant move to achieve this, he deemed Musk fit to head this newly formed Government Efficiency Commission. Trump revealed that Musk had suggested the idea, which would involve a comprehensive financial and performance audit of the federal government, aiming to identify areas for significant reform. The commission would be tasked with eliminating fraud and improper payments, with Trump predicting it could save “trillions of dollars”. The commission would also propose major reforms aimed at cutting waste and improving operations.
According to Reuters, Trump has been consulting with his advisors on this issue for weeks, but his announcement on Thursday marked the first official statement on the matter, appointing Musk at the center of his vision for change, should he win the 2024 U.S. presidential election.
The Republican presidential nominee claimed that in 2022, “fraud and improper payments alone cost taxpayers an estimated hundreds of billions of dollars.” He noted that the commission would recommend “drastic reforms” and develop a plan to eliminate fraud and improper payments within six months, which he said would save trillions of dollars.
“We need to do it. Can’t go on the way we are now. This will save trillions of dollars”. Trump noted. He also promised to cut 10 government regulations for every new regulation implemented if he’s elected in November. It is understood that Trump had previously floated the idea of Musk serving as an advisor, in his government.
In a recent development, Musk, who runs X (formerly Twitter), has agreed to take on the role.
In a post on X, he wrote,
“I look forward to serving America if the opportunity arises. No pay, no title, no recognition is needed”.
The commission headed by Musk is tasked with eliminating “fraud and improper payments” within its first six months, a key part of Trump’s strategy to address the ballooning national debt, which reached $35 trillion in 2024.
Trump believes this initiative would be a crucial step in managing the federal spending crisis. “It’s massive”, Trump emphasized, touting the potential impact of the initiative. He announced the plans in a speech to the Economic Club of New York, a group ofexecutives and industry leaders, where he also unveiled proposals to slash regulations and boost energy production, embrace cryptocurrencies, and drastically cut government spending as well as corporate taxes for companies that produce in the N.S.
Trump’s proposal for the commission however drew an immediate rebuke from Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, a union whichrepresents about 750,000 federal workers. He accused Trump and Musk of wanting to gut the non-partisan civil service and replace fired workers with allies.
Meanwhile, several American Netizens have taken to the X platform (formerly Twitter), to express excitement at Trump’s newly proposed commission.
@Paul A. Szypula wrote,
“The US Government needs drastically improved efficiency more than any other company in the world”.
@Penny Lane wrote,
“This is long overdue. Cutting wasteful spending should be at the top of every taxpayer’s bucket list. Kudos to Elon for stepping up for America.”
@Keith Outen wrote,
“Excellent idea. Maybe do away with EPA, Dept of Interior, Dept of Education, give 84,000 new IRA agents the option to go to Border Patrol or quit, do away with TSA, and put back in the hands of airports and airlines who have the most to lose if not secure, and dissolve DHS.”
@Myrna Sokoloff wrote,
“Great idea! We need someone brilliant like Elon who can see what needs to be done and do it!! He had had experience in taking over companies and making them more efficient and productive! I’ve worked in government and it definitely needs reform.”
@Bülent Özder wrote,
“What an exciting initiative! A government efficiency commission could lead to much-needed transparency and improvements in how our resources are managed. Having a visionary like Elon Musk at the helm of this task force is a promising step toward innovative solutions. Looking forward to seeing the positive changes this could bring for the country! Let’s work together for a more efficient and effective government!”
While Trump had already said he wanted to cut the tax rate to 15%, he has also called for the creation of a sovereign wealth fund, in part to fund major infrastructure projects, including highways, airports and manufacturing hubs.