President Donald Trump’s first phrase at his first Cupboard assembly went to somebody who isn’t within the Cupboard.
That individual, in fact, was Elon Musk.
Donning his trademark “darkish MAGA” baseball hat and “tech assist” T-shirt beneath a black blazer, the multibillionaire Division of Authorities Effectivity chief on Wednesday joined all the confirmed or nominated members of Trump’s Cupboard.
It was a media second that appeared engineered to emphasise assist of Musk’s unprecedented overhaul of the federal authorities amongst that authorities’s full management, whereas additionally underscoring Musk’s deference to the commander-in-chief — two of essentially the most highly effective storylines within the first month of Trump’s second time period.
“Is anybody sad with Elon? If you’re, we’ll throw him out of right here,” Trump stated. One member could possibly be heard shouting “grateful,” and the Cupboard applauded Musk, who’s hellbent on taking a chainsaw to the paperwork they oversee.
“This may solely be accomplished along with your assist,” Musk informed the individuals within the room, later including that they had been “the perfect Cupboard ever.”
Musk, an in depth aide to Trump, with the official title of “particular authorities worker,” was seated on the far left of the room, not on the giant desk the place the president, vice chairman and the remainder of the Cupboard sat. And he was quiet for the remainder of the hourlong assembly, basically a wide-ranging information convention with reporters, a number of hand-selected by the White Home, the day after the press secretary introduced the administration would break with over a century of precedent and select its personal every day press pool.
Nonetheless, Musk’s presence within the room and plum talking spot — taken along with his latest Oval Workplace remarks and Fox Information interview with Trump, and his ubiquity on-line as a surrogate for the president — showcase an unprecedented degree of energy afforded to Musk, the world’s richest individual whose corporations have billions of {dollars} in authorities contracts.
Musk’s presence there appeared geared toward exhibiting unity among the many Cupboard following a controversial e-mail Musk despatched Saturday to your complete paperwork asking workers to write down “5 issues” they did the week earlier than — and threatening that in the event that they didn’t, he would take it as a resignation.
That e-mail sparked panic throughout the federal government as company leaders issued conflicting steerage, with some departments telling workers not to reply, explicitly breaking with Musk’s directive. That e-mail, and different aggressive actions to slash spending and payroll, have sparked some backlash amongst GOP lawmakers, a few of whom confronted anger at city corridor conferences.
However Musk made clear Wednesday the command had been authorised by Trump — and one other e-mail can be going out quickly.
“The president is the commander-in-chief. I do what the president asks,” Musk stated, including that he had known as Trump to drift the e-mail thought after Trump informed him to “get extra aggressive.”
He argued that the e-mail was not a efficiency assessment, however relatively to see “when you’ve got a pulse and two neurons and you may reply to an e-mail.” Musk and Trump stated they had been satisfied among the federal workers had not replied as a result of they had been useless, however nonetheless being paid.
“It’s not a excessive bar you guys. Come on,” Musk stated.
Earlier than Musk sat, Trump, in fact, acquired the ultimate phrase.
“I’ll take Elon off the spot,” the president stated. “I believe that he’s impressed — he’s stated it very nicely, higher than I can say it — that he’s impressed with the individuals on this room, very impressed, and I’m too.”
“All people’s on board,” Trump added.
