Donald Trump takes ‘special employee’ Elon Musk down a peg with three withering words

Musk, who is often seen as a close ally of Trump, has been appointed to lead a new advisory group called the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). This group is tasked with finding ways to cut federal spending and improve efficiency in government operations.

As part of his new role, Musk and his team have been granted access to important government databases that contain sensitive financial information.

Despite this significant access, Trump emphasized in a recent statement that Musk’s authority is limited. The President stated that Musk cannot make decisions without the White House’s approval and that any actions taken must be deemed appropriate by his administration.

Trump’s comments came during a press briefing where he was signing executive orders. He said, “Elon can’t do and won’t do anything without our approval. And we’ll give him the approval where appropriate. Where not appropriate, we won’t.” This statement was seen as a way to remind Musk, who is known for his independent and sometimes controversial actions, that he must operate within the boundaries set by the President.

Since Trump took office on January 20, Musk and his DOGE team have been given significant access to government systems. For example, they were recently allowed to use the federal payment system, which manages the distribution of funds for various government programs. This decision was approved by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, despite concerns raised by current government employees. Many of these employees have since left their positions, reportedly due to disagreements over the new changes.

Critics of the arrangement have expressed concerns about Musk’s influence and the potential for the Trump administration to use this access to cut funding to groups or organizations they disagree with politically. Nathan Tankus, a financial expert, warned that Musk and his team seem to have a specific agenda, particularly targeting spending that benefits their ideological opponents. Tankus described the situation as more about political control than improving efficiency.