Elon Musk, the billionaire behind SpaceX and Tesla, is making big waves in the U.S. government. He’s been given a lot of influence by President Donald Trump, and people are starting to get worried about it. Musk has taken control of the U.S. Treasury’s payment system, which moves trillions of dollars, and he even announced the shutdown of the USAID agency, which helps people in need around the world.
Even though Musk is not elected and has not been formally recognized as a government worker, he is now marked as a special government employee. Critics point out that Musk donated a lot of money (around $250 million) to Trump’s campaign and has big contracts with the government through his companies.
Musk has created something called the “Department of Government Efficiency,” known as DOGE. His young team, called the “Doge Kids,” took charge of the Treasury’s payment system and encouraged federal workers to leave their jobs. Musk announced the closure of USAID during a live chat on X (formerly Twitter), calling it a criminal organization.
There have been reports of conflict when Musk’s aides asked for access to secure areas within USAID. A career Treasury worker was put on leave for denying this request. After Musk criticized the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), its head stepped down on Inauguration Day. Soon after, Trump had to quickly find a new leader for the FAA after a plane crash.
Democrats, led by Senator Elizabeth Warren, have spoken out against Musk’s increased power, saying he wasn’t elected, and it’s unfair. They are worried this new setup lets Musk control money that Congress has approved. Senator Chuck Schumer even compared it to letting a “tiger into the petting zoo.”
As pressure builds, lawmakers are watching to see how Musk and Trump handle their partnership. Interestingly, Musk isn’t even in the White House; he was denied a West Wing office and is working from another building nearby.
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