Billionaire Elon Musk joined President Donald Trump in the Oval Office on Tuesday as the president signed an executive order mandating federal agencies work with Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to significantly reduce the federal labor force.
The order requires federal agencies to hire “no more than one employee for every four employees” that are fired, with exceptions for public safety and law enforcement. A White House fact sheet, first reported by Semafor, outlines the directive’s intent to streamline government operations and cut costs.
DOGE and Musk have been at the center of political discourse since Trump took office, particularly for exposing controversial federal spending. One of their most notable targets has been the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which has faced major reductions under the Trump administration.
Accompanied by his young son, Lil X, Musk addressed reporters about DOGE’s mission to enforce “common sense controls” on federal spending.
“If the people cannot vote and have their will be decided by their elected representatives—through the President, the Senate, and the House—then we don’t live in a democracy,” Musk said. “We live in a bureaucracy.”
The national debt is projected to reach $37 trillion this year, with interest payments ranking among the largest federal expenses. Trump highlighted the executive order as a major step toward eliminating corruption and government “kickbacks.”
“The public gets it,” Trump said, emphasizing voter support for government downsizing.
Musk dismissed concerns that agency reductions amount to a “hostile takeover.”
“The people voted for major government reform, and that’s what the people are going to get,” Musk said. “That’s what democracy is all about.”
