Elon Musk Claims Exclusive Power Over Government Funding Decisions

Elon Musk attended the first cabinet meeting of President Donald Trump’s second term, where he spoke about his role and activities concerning the federal budget and funding decisions through a group known as DOGE. Musk acknowledged that he would likely make mistakes while trying to significantly reduce the budget, stating, “I should say we will make mistakes. We won’t be perfect. But when we make mistakes, we’ll fix it very quickly.”

He referenced an incident where DOGE inadvertently canceled funding for Ebola prevention and quickly restored it, suggesting that he believes everyone would agree that preventing diseases like Ebola is essential. Musk pointed out that rapid action is necessary to achieve a goal of cutting $1 trillion from the budget by 2026. This statement raised concerns because he seemed to admit that he was deciding what programs receive funding based solely on his personal preferences, rather than adhering to a formal process. Although funding for Ebola prevention seems like an obvious priority, Musk is not an elected official, and his role, described as a “special government employee,” reportedly involves identifying and eliminating waste and misuse of funds. However, his public comments indicate he is cutting funding for programs he simply does not favor, rather than addressing true waste or fraud.

Historically, Congress holds the power over financial allocations and established organizations like USAID to manage aid distribution. The idea that an unelected billionaire can unilaterally determine funding pathways is not in line with legal or democratic processes.

Musk’s statements have also faced criticism from experts. Dr. Craig Spencer, an Ebola specialist and survivor, publicly challenged Musk’s account. Spencer pointed out that the U.S. response to an Ebola outbreak in Uganda was severely limited, stating that the federal administration did not send experts to assist with the outbreak as they normally would. He expressed frustration that crucial systems for preventing Ebola outbreaks had been compromised.

Dr. Spencer explained that US experts would typically help with measures like border screening and communication with the World Health Organization when outbreaks occur. He noted that those discussions did not happen this time because the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) personnel were restricted from engaging. He also revealed that his colleague in Uganda faced challenges contacting the White House regarding this outbreak, further highlighting a breakdown in communication and response.

According to Spencer, the CDC plays a critical role in Ebola prevention in the U.S., and significant staff reductions had occurred as part of broader budget cuts. Such layoffs weakened the nation’s capacity to deal with health crises abroad and could jeopardize safety for Americans.

During the cabinet meeting, which lasted about ten minutes, Musk discussed being directed by Trump to make aggressive workforce reductions within the federal government. Although the total number of layoffs remains unclear, reports indicated that temporary workers would be the first to go, with more cuts expected soon.

The cabinet session also covered other controversial topics, including Trump’s proposal to replace the EB-5 visa program with a “gold card” for those willing to pay $5 million for residency in the United States. Trump also suggested that Canada could become the “51st state,” a comment many found absurd and offensive. Adding to the confusion, Trump claimed that the European Union was created to disadvantage the U.S.

Several lawsuits have emerged over the chaotic and controversial tactics used by Musk and Trump to reshape federal operations. However, outcomes are uncertain, as the Trump administration has been noted for resisting court orders, raising questions about the enforcement of legal rulings. Without the means to enforce the law independently, both Musk and Trump appeared free to pursue their agenda without much accountability.