Donald Trump has said he trusts Elon Musk and is going to ask him to investigate billions of dollars of “fraud and abuse” within the US military.
The X owner is spearheading the US president’s efforts to cut costs and bureaucracy in government, which has already seen the US Aid Agency for International Development targeted.
Named the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), its aim is to find ways to sack federal workers, cut programmes and cut federal regulations.
However, there have been suggestions the Tesla chief’s access to government systems could pose a threat to national security.
Speaking to Fox News’s chief political anchor Bret Baier, the president gave Mr Musk his full backing.
“I’ve had great help with Elon Musk. He’s been terrific,” he said.
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When asked if he trusted him, Mr Trump added: “Trust Elon? He’s not gaining anything.
“In fact, I wonder how he can devote the time to it – he’s so into it.
“But I told him do that and then I’m going to tell him very soon – maybe in the next 24 hours – to go check the Department for Education. He’s going to find the same thing.
“Then I’m going to go to the military – let’s check the military. We’re going to find billions, hundreds of billions of dollars of fraud and abuse.
“You know, the people elected me on that.”
Mr Trump’s comments come after it was announced US Homeland Security secretary Kristi Noem will work with Mr Musk to improve the department’s efficiency.
“We’re working with them at the president’s direction to find what we can do to make our department much more efficient,” she said in an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union” programme.
“So this is essentially an audit of the federal government, which is very powerful.”