Latest news with #specialgovernmentemployee
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump Addresses Elon Musk's Alleged Drug Use After Bombshell New York Times Report
President Donald Trump appears indifferent to the alleged drug use of one of his top advisers. The New York Times reported Friday that Elon Musk was regularly consuming ketamine, ecstasy, psychedelic mushrooms, Ambient, Adderall and other drugs while on the campaign trail with Trump. The newspaper said it based its report on private messages it obtained, along with interviews with 'more than a dozen people' who know Musk. It's unclear whether his drug use changed once he took his place at the helm of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, an initiative that has fired thousands of federal staffers and gutted key agencies under the stated aim of curbing wasteful spending. He officially left his role with DOGE earlier this week. Trump appeared not to care about this when asked Friday by a reporter if the reported drug use troubled him. 'I'm not troubled by anything with Elon,' he said at the Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. 'I think he's fantastic. Did a great job. And, you know, DOGE continues. And by the time he's finished, we'll have numbers that'll knock your socks off.' 'He did a fantastic job,' the president added. 'And he didn't need it, he didn't need to do it.' Musk spent a fortune to help reelect Trump and was later made a 'special government employee' to spearhead DOGE. The world's richest man then gained access, potentially illegally, to highly sensitive government data and hired a group of unvetted 20-somethings for help. The tech billionaire has called Social Security, one of the most enduring safety nets Americans have ever had, a 'Ponzi scheme.' He also danced around onstage at the Conservative Political Action Conference in February wielding a symbolic chainsaw to celebrate his work. The Times reported that Musk's drug consumption ramped up around the same time he started joining Trump on the campaign trail last year, and that he regularly traveled with a medication box that held some 20 various pills. Rather than address the allegations on Friday, Musk attacked the Times' credibility. 'Is The New York Times — is that the same publication that got a Pulitzer Prize for false reporting on the Russiagate?' he asked. 'Is that the same organization? I think it is.' Musk has previously admitted to taking 'a small amount' of ketamine every other week, and was famously shown smoking marijuana on the 'Joe Rogan Experience' podcast in 2018. Musk said Friday that despite his DOGE tenure being over, he hopes to remain Trump's 'friend and an adviser.' Elon Musk Explains Why He Has A Black Eye Elon Musk's Drug Use Much Greater Than Previously Known: NYT 5 Things Elon Musk Can Tell His Manager He Accomplished As A Federal Employee
Forbes
5 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
Trump Questioned Extent Of Musk's DOGE Cuts, Report Says
President Donald Trump questioned the extent of the federal cuts made by billionaire adviser Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, the The Wall Street Journal reported, bringing the savings into doubt as Musk ended his short stint as special government employee this week after making controversial cuts and layoffs within the federal government. DOGE claims it has saved an estimated $175 billion through workforce reductions, grant ... More cancellations, contract cancellations. (Photo by) Trump asked, 'Was it all bull****?' according to unnamed administration officials cited by the Journal on Friday, referring to Musk's vow to cut $1 trillion in government spending. Musk reiterated the promise during an Oval Office press conference with Trump on Friday, saying he was confident DOGE will produce '$1 trillion dollars of waste and fraud reduction' over time. Musk has seemingly pushed back the deadline for the $1 trillion in savings, as the billionaire Tesla chief said in March the ambitious cuts would be completed in roughly two months. Trump's purported doubt came as Musk's time as a special government employee came to an end Friday, though he and the president have maintained he will continue visiting the White House and acting as a friend and adviser. Forbes asked for comment from the White House and Musk, the latter of whom did not respond to the Journal's request for comment Friday. Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts: We're launching text message alerts so you'll always know the biggest stories shaping the day's headlines. Text 'Alerts' to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here. The Musk-led department says it has saved an estimated $175 billion through workforce reductions, grant cancellations, contract cancellations and more. It also claims it has saved $1,086 per taxpayer. DOGE's claims of savings have been rife with inconsistencies and errors, according to multiple reports, suggesting the true savings figures are lower than what the agency has reported. For example, DOGE once claimed it saved $8 billion by cancelling an immigration contract that actually had a value of $8 million. A BBC analysis from April found that only about half of the itemized savings published by DOGE were linked to receipts or other forms of evidence. DOGE lists some receipts as being 'unavailable for legal reasons.' Prior to Trump's election and his time in government, Musk pledged to erase $2 trillion from federal spending—a vow that has since been reduced to $1 trillion. Many of the DOGE-directed cuts have been contested, with federal layoffs in particular seeing challenges in court. Some 216,000 federal employees were laid off in March, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas. Agencies hit or expected to be targeted by the layoffs include the Department of Human Services, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Education and several others. The firings have been contested in court, going as far as the Supreme Court last month, when the high court blocked a judge's order requiring employees at six federal agencies to be rehired. Inside Trump and Musk's Complicated Relationship (WSJ) How much has Elon Musk's Doge cut from US government spending? (Forbes) Supreme Court Blocks Judge's Order Requiring Employees At Six Federal Agencies To Be Rehired—For Now (Forbes)
CBS News
a day ago
- Business
- CBS News
Trump and Elon Musk to appear in Oval Office as DOGE leader exits government
Elon Musk says he and Trump administration sometimes have "differences of opinion" Washington — President Trump is set to address reporters in the Oval Office alongside Elon Musk as the billionaire's tenure as a "special government employee" comes to an end. Musk announced earlier this week on X, the social media site he owns, that he would be finishing his time at the White House and thanked Mr. Trump for "the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending," an initiative led by the White House's Department of Government Efficiency. The world's richest man said DOGE's mission "will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout government." The president confirmed on social media that Musk's last day will be Friday but added the caveat that "he will, always, be with us, helping all the way." A senior administration official said Musk was set to begin his offboarding process Wednesday night. His departure marks a return to the private sector, and Musk will continue as an adviser to the president, the official said. As a special government employee, Musk was limited to working 130 days in a 365-day period. His 130th day is May 30. But in his time serving as a senior adviser to the president and leading DOGE, Musk roiled Washington through his team's unsparing cuts to the federal workforce, cancellation of billions of dollars in federal grants and contracts, and dismantling of several agencies, even if some of those actions have been blocked by the courts. While Musk came into the second Trump administration with a lofty promise of cutting $1 trillion from the federal budget — and even wielded a "chainsaw for bureaucracy" on stage at the Conservative Political Action Conference in February — he leaves with a tally falling far short of that goal. The CEO of Tesla and SpaceX has said that DOGE's government-slashing efforts have saved roughly $160 billion in spending, but its "wall of receipts" documenting spending cuts has contained errors. And an analysis from the nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service estimated that DOGE's actions could actually cost the government $135 billion as a result of lost productivity and changes in the status of federal workers. Some have been mistakenly fired, only to be rehired again. Still, Musk's time has been punctuated by a series of events that showcased his closeness with the president. He participated in Cabinet meetings at the White House, traveled on Air Force One with Mr. Trump and, joined by his son "Lil X," addressed reporters in the Oval Office. The president also showcased Tesla vehicles on the driveway at the White House and said he would purchase a red Model S and praised Musk during his joint address to Congress earlier this year for his work heading DOGE. But Musk has in recent days publicly split from Mr. Trump over his sweeping domestic policy package, which the president calls his "big beautiful bill," that passed the House last week. "I was disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly, which increases the budget deficit, not just decreases it, and undermines the work that the DOGE team is doing," Musk said during an interview with "CBS Sunday Morning." An analysis from the Congressional Budget Office estimated that the tax provisions of the package, called the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," would increase the deficit by $3.8 trillion by 2034. "I think a bill can be big or it can be beautiful," Musk told CBS News, "but I don't know if it can be both. My personal opinion."
CBS News
a day ago
- Business
- CBS News
Trump and Elon Musk to appear in Oval Office as DOGE leader exits Washington
Elon Musk says he and Trump administration sometimes have "differences of opinion" Washington — President Trump is set to address reporters in the Oval Office alongside Elon Musk as the billionaire's tenure as a "special government employee" comes to an end. Musk announced earlier this week on X, the social media site he owns, that he would be finishing his time at the White House and thanked Mr. Trump for "the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending," an initiative led by the White House's Department of Government Efficiency. The world's richest man said DOGE's mission "will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout government." The president confirmed on social media that Musk's last day will be Friday but added the caveat that "he will, always, be with us, helping all the way." A senior administration official said Musk was set to begin his offboarding process Wednesday night. His departure marks a return to the private sector, and Musk will continue as an adviser to the president, the official said. As a special government employee, Musk was limited to working 130 days in a 365-day period. His 130th day is May 30. But in his time serving as a senior adviser to the president and leading DOGE, Musk roiled Washington through his team's unsparing cuts to the federal workforce, cancellation of billions of dollars in federal grants and contracts, and dismantling of several agencies, even if some of those actions have been blocked by the courts. While Musk came into the second Trump administration with a lofty promise of cutting $1 trillion from the federal budget — and even wielded a "chainsaw for bureaucracy" on stage at the Conservative Political Action Conference in February — he leaves with a tally falling far short of that goal. The CEO of Tesla and SpaceX has said that DOGE's government-slashing efforts have saved roughly $160 billion in spending, but its "wall of receipts" documenting spending cuts has contained errors. And an analysis from the nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service estimated that DOGE's actions could actually cost the government $135 billion as a result of lost productivity and changes in the status of federal workers. Some have been mistakenly fired, only to be rehired again. Still, Musk's time has been punctuated by a series of events that showcased his closeness with the president. He participated in Cabinet meetings at the White House, traveled on Air Force One with Mr. Trump and, joined by his son "Lil X," addressed reporters in the Oval Office. The president also showcased Tesla vehicles on the driveway at the White House and said he would purchase a red Model S and praised Musk during his joint address to Congress earlier this year for his work heading DOGE. But Musk has in recent days publicly split from Mr. Trump over his sweeping domestic policy package, which the president calls his "big beautiful bill," that passed the House last week. "I was disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly, which increases the budget deficit, not just decreases it, and undermines the work that the DOGE team is doing," Musk said during an interview with "CBS Sunday Morning." An analysis from the Congressional Budget Office estimated that the tax provisions of the package, called the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," would increase the deficit by $3.8 trillion by 2034. "I think a bill can be big or it can be beautiful," Musk told CBS News, "but I don't know if it can be both. My personal opinion."
CBS News
2 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
Elon Musk leaving DOGE, but he'll continue to advise Trump, White House says
Elon Musk says time with DOGE, Trump administration is coming to an end Elon Musk announced Wednesday night that his time as a "special government employee" with the Trump administration is winding down. But that doesn't mean he's leaving President Trump's circle. "As my scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end, I would like to thank President [Trump] for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending," Musk wrote on X. He added that his Department of Government Efficiency's "mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government." Musk, a billionaire entrepreneur, was set to begin his offboarding process with the White House on Wednesday night, according to an administration official. But that doesn't mean his relationship with the president or time at the White House are over. "Musk left on good terms and is still friends with the president," a senior administration official told CBS News. "This isn't a separation, but just a return to the private sector for Musk. He will continue to be a friend to the president, and we can characterize that as an 'adviser.'" Musk is not likely to participate in Cabinet meetings, but potentially could in the future, the official said. Steve Davis, a top Musk lieutenant at DOGE, is also leaving the White House. Musk's DOGE team has upturned the government through employee cuts at nearly every federal agency and the termination of billions of dollars of government contracts. Musk has said the effort has cut around $160 billion in spending. However, some of the spending cuts cited by DOGE have contained errors, and one report estimates the cuts could cost the government $135 billion due to lost productivity and the cost of putting staff on leave and re-hiring some workers. The White House said in February that Musk is a "special government employee," or SGE. The designation allowed him to work for the executive branch, subject to different ethics rules than federal employees. But SGEs are limited to working 130 days in a 365-day period. Friday, May 30, would mark 130 days since Mr. Trump was inaugurated for his second term and when Musk's work at DOGE began. Musk's announced departure comes a day after a "CBS Sunday Morning" interview where he criticized the budget bill passed by House Republicans last week. The bill has been backed heavily by Mr. Trump, who dubbed it the "big, beautiful bill." "I was disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly, which increases the budget deficit, not just decreases it, and undermines the work that the DOGE team is doing," Musk told "CBS Sunday Morning" correspondent David Pogue in a broadcast exclusive interview. In an April earnings call with Musk's car company Tesla, he told investors his time at DOGE would "drop significantly" in May so he could focus on his companies. Musk suggested he would spend one to two days a week on government work, "as long as the president would like me to do so." Some Tesla investors pushed Musk to dial back his involvement in the Trump administration, worrying his attention was divided and the carmaker's brand was at risk. White House Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought said in a Fox Business interview on Wednesday that the Trump administration will make some of DOGE's cuts permanent through a bill in Congress known as a rescission package, which is a way for Congress to cancel funds it previously appropriated but that the federal government has not yet spent. Vought said that cuts to foreign aid and the U.S. Agency for International Development, as well as funds to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, would be included first.
