WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Saturday (Feb 22) urged billionaire Elon Musk to be more aggressive in his efforts to shrink the federal government despite uproar over layoffs and deep spending cuts.
“Elon is doing a great job, but I would like to see him get more aggressive,” Trump posted all in uppercase letters on his Truth Social platform. “Remember, we have a country to save, but ultimately, to make greater than ever before. MAGA!”
Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE – an entity created by Trump – has swept across federal government agencies, firing tens of thousands of federal government workers from scientists to park rangers, mostly those on probation.
Musk is the world’s richest person and Trump’s biggest donor.
In the latest cuts announced Friday, the US Defense Department will cut its civilian workforce by at least 5 per cent starting next week.
A judge on Thursday denied a union bid to temporarily halt the firing of thousands of people.
