Trump seeks to reassure Cabinet authority as concerns over Elon Musk’s cost-cutting mount

By Merve Berker

US President Donald Trump has assured Cabinet secretaries that while billionaire Elon Musk's controversial efforts to cut government spending have his full support, they, not Musk, will be in charge of staffing decisions within their departments, press reports said.

During a closed-door Thursday Cabinet meeting, Trump emphasized that department heads should “keep all the people you want, everybody that you need,” reinforcing their authority amid growing concerns from business leaders and Republican lawmakers about the business magnate’s influence in the administration, according to CNN.

“I want them to do the best job they can,” the US president said, adding that retaining “good people” is crucial.

Among other complaints, critics point to Musk’s firing of essential federal workers and then quickly trying to rehire them as signs of a disorganized process.

- Musk’s role in federal budget cuts

Musk, who leads the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an unofficial team said to be focused on cutting costs, has been a central figure in Trump’s second-term efforts to downsize the federal government.

His push for drastic personnel cuts, symbolized by his brandishing a chainsaw at an earlier Cabinet meeting, as well as his calling some government agencies “criminal” and alleging but not proving massive fraud, have all drawn criticism.

Trump, in contrast, framed the administration’s approach as using a “scalpel” rather than a chainsaw, though he recently publicly voiced support for Musk, and even encouraged him to be “more aggressive.”

Despite deferring ultimate staffing authority to agency heads, Trump made it clear that Musk and his team would be monitoring budget reductions.

“We’re going to be watching them, and Elon and the group are going to be watching them,” he said.

“And if they don’t cut, then Elon will do the cutting,” the president added, although Musk apparently lacks any authority under the law to single-handedly make cuts.

- Republican pushback on Musk's influence

Trump’s remarks come amid growing discontent within Republican circles over Musk’s outsized role, fueled in part by angry voters lashing out at Musk at town hall meetings.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune stressed that Cabinet members should lead hiring and firing decisions, stating: “They are going to be better attuned to the individual programs.”

A number of agency heads have resisted Musk’s attempts to impose workforce reductions, saying they are indiscriminate, pointing to Musk lacking any background in government.

When Musk initially directed federal employees to justify their workweeks or face termination, some agency leaders advised staff to ignore the directive until further clarification was given.

A subsequent request for accountability was then reissued through individual departments, restoring some agency control.

- White House response, internal dynamics

Concerns about the authority of the Tesla and X owner, who was also the top donor to Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, have also been acknowledged within the White House.

Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, who has been closely monitoring Republican and business leader complaints, facilitated discussions between Musk and lawmakers.

At a Senate Republican luncheon, Wiles assured members that “Musk is working directly with the president, and the president then works with the Cabinet secretaries,” according to Senator Josh Hawley, CNN reported.

Following these discussions, 22 Republican senators met with Musk at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building to hear his explanations regarding federal budget cuts.

While some lawmakers remained skeptical, Musk sought to reassure them that department heads would be responsible for making “scalpel” adjustments rather than enacting indiscriminate layoffs.

- Musk's outreach and future challenges

Musk’s role in government has also intersected with his growing political influence as a major donor to Republican causes.

This week, he met with both House and Senate members in back-to-back sessions, further defending his approach.

“He just said that they trusted the departments to, you know, instead of using a cudgel, use a scalpel to get rid of people that are unproductive,” said Representative Derrick Van Orden.

When pressed by lawmakers on how to address the unintended consequences of the budget cuts, Musk referred them to the Department of Government Efficiency website rather than providing direct contact information.

“How can I get ahold of you? He said there’s a website for that,” Representative Carlos Gimenez said. “No, he didn’t give us his number.”

The website has been riddled with false claims of cost “savings,” with some cuts counted numerous times, and touting terminating contracts that actually ended before Trump took office, requiring corrections in recent days.

As Musk’s influence remains a subject of debate, the administration’s next steps in implementing its budget reduction strategy are expected to be closely scrutinized by lawmakers and agency officials alike.