Talking at the World Governments Summit in DubaiElon Musk, CEO of Tesla (formerly Twitter), and the owner of X advocated a sweeping reform of the U.S. federal government. This included eliminating entire agencies. In a video message, Musk outlined his vision for reduced spending by the government, a restructuring in national priorities, as well as a more isolated foreign policy.
Musk expressed his concern over bureaucratic overreach. “We really have here rule of the bureaucracy as opposed to rule of the people—democracy,” Musk stated, emphasizing his belief in the importance of streamlining government operations. He jokingly referred, while wearing a “Technical Support” Tshirt to his profile in X as “White House tech support.”
Musk said that we should delete whole agencies, rather than leaving a large number of them. Musk used the analogy of weeding your garden. If we do not remove the root of the weed then the weed will easily grow back. His bold declaration underscores the importance of fundamental change in his view, particularly when it comes to government efficiency.
Musk’s Potential Proposals: The Impact
Musk’s influence in government affairs is growing, especially with his suggestion that he will be taking a leading role within the fictional “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE). Musk’s proposals to streamline federal agencies and cut budgets are in line with the broader trend towards a smaller government and less regulation. But these proposals have also sparked a debate about how to balance the private sector’s involvement in governance with the public, and their potential implications for the government and international relations. Recent remarks by the president about “diversity for all” were also criticised as being culturally insensitive.
Key Agencies Under Scrutiny
Musk specifically questioned the efficacy of organizations like USAID (United States Agency for International Development), and the National Endowment for Democracy. What progress has been made recently in terms of democracy? “How much democracy have they achieved lately?” he asked, echoing doubts about foreign interventionist policies. In referring to the “America First”, he said that the U.S. “is less interested in intervening with other countries’ affairs,” and advocating a domestic-focused foreign policy. Musk said that America shouldn’t interfere in other countries affairs, but should instead focus on its domestic priorities. His audience, who were from the UAE, agreed.
Musk has also expressed his support to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). He controversially linked DEI programs with the potential risks of artificial intelligence.
Artificial Intelligence Developments
Musk also announced Grok 3 – the new chatbot that will be available for X – and described it as “almost scary.” Also, he criticized OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and compared the two to a non-profit that has distorted its purpose and turned predatory.
Reactions, Perspectives
Omar Sultan Al Olama praised Musk for his multi-faceted influence: “No one person has ever had an impact like Musk on the space, communication, transport and transition to green energies.” Musk expressed his confidence that the American people and others around the globe would support the vision he has for the future. “We have a lot support, both from America, but also from other countries,” he said.
The Future
Musk’s increased influence on public policy raises important questions about the relationship between private enterprise, government service and other stakeholders. Legal and legislative barriers would be significant for any attempt to make substantial cuts in federal agencies. The foreign policy positions of the president could be a sign that the U.S. is changing its approach to the world.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.