Trump states he merely 'likes' Musk
The US president has expressed strong admiration for his government efficiency czar, referring to the work done as “fantastic.” President Donald Trump has commended Elon Musk, who leads the administration’s initiative to cut government waste,...
TroibNews 
The US president has expressed strong admiration for his government efficiency czar, referring to the work done as “fantastic.”
President Donald Trump has commended Elon Musk, who leads the administration’s initiative to cut government waste, and has expressed a desire for the billionaire and his “fantastic” Department of Government Efficiency team to remain in Washington indefinitely.
During a Cabinet meeting on Thursday, Trump indicated that he did not require anything from Musk other than his affinity for him, while highlighting the billions in potential savings Musk has identified within the federal government.
“Elon’s done a fantastic job. Look, he’s sitting here and I don’t care. I don’t need Elon for anything other than I happen to like him,” Trump stated. “But I’m telling you, this guy did a fantastic job.”
The president also revealed that he bought a Tesla, not for personal use but to enable his office staff to drive it as a gesture of support for Musk. “They said, oh, did you get a bargain? No. I said, give me the top price,” Trump joked.
Musk reciprocated the praise, attributing his achievements to the “fantastic leadership” of Trump and his Cabinet. He announced that the Department of Government Efficiency anticipates saving $150 billion in fiscal year 2026 by addressing fraud and waste in federal spending.
“Some of it is just absurd – like people getting unemployment insurance who haven’t been born yet,” Musk noted.
Despite Musk’s prominent role in the administration drawing criticism, with some accusing him of conflicts of interest related to his companies’ federal contracts, the White House has continued to support him. A group of Democratic lawmakers has even called for his dismissal, arguing that his “erratic behavior” and previous controversies compromise public trust.
Trump reaffirmed his commitment to Musk on Thursday, expressing a desire for his government efficiency team to stick around beyond their current initiative and lauding their technology-focused methods.
“Your people are fantastic… They’re great. Smart, sharp… finding things that nobody would have thought of,” the president remarked. “We’d like to keep as many as we can. In fact, hopefully they’ll stay around for the long haul.”
Mark B Thomas for TROIB News
President Donald Trump has commended Elon Musk, who leads the administration’s initiative to cut government waste, and has expressed a desire for the billionaire and his “fantastic” Department of Government Efficiency team to remain in Washington indefinitely.
During a Cabinet meeting on Thursday, Trump indicated that he did not require anything from Musk other than his affinity for him, while highlighting the billions in potential savings Musk has identified within the federal government.
“Elon’s done a fantastic job. Look, he’s sitting here and I don’t care. I don’t need Elon for anything other than I happen to like him,” Trump stated. “But I’m telling you, this guy did a fantastic job.”
The president also revealed that he bought a Tesla, not for personal use but to enable his office staff to drive it as a gesture of support for Musk. “They said, oh, did you get a bargain? No. I said, give me the top price,” Trump joked.
Musk reciprocated the praise, attributing his achievements to the “fantastic leadership” of Trump and his Cabinet. He announced that the Department of Government Efficiency anticipates saving $150 billion in fiscal year 2026 by addressing fraud and waste in federal spending.
“Some of it is just absurd – like people getting unemployment insurance who haven’t been born yet,” Musk noted.
Despite Musk’s prominent role in the administration drawing criticism, with some accusing him of conflicts of interest related to his companies’ federal contracts, the White House has continued to support him. A group of Democratic lawmakers has even called for his dismissal, arguing that his “erratic behavior” and previous controversies compromise public trust.
Trump reaffirmed his commitment to Musk on Thursday, expressing a desire for his government efficiency team to stick around beyond their current initiative and lauding their technology-focused methods.
“Your people are fantastic… They’re great. Smart, sharp… finding things that nobody would have thought of,” the president remarked. “We’d like to keep as many as we can. In fact, hopefully they’ll stay around for the long haul.”
Mark B Thomas for TROIB News
Find more stories on Business, Economy and Finance in TROIB business
