Elon Musk and President Donald Trump outlined their strategy to save US taxpayer money by focusing on two crucial factors: competence and caring. Musk, who chairs the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and is CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, explained that cutting excessive government spending starts with these principles.

Musk stated, “To save US taxpayer money, we need competence and caring. Adding either of these ingredients improves the outcome. Without them, the result is often a bad deal, and that’s exactly what the American taxpayers have been getting.” He went on to criticize the previous administration, questioning if anyone could honestly say it was competent or cared about taxpayers.

Trump and Musk also discussed the widespread waste, fraud, and inefficiency they believe have plagued federal programs. They vowed to move the country away from bureaucratic red tape toward a system that better serves the needs of its citizens, with a commitment to significant budget cuts.

Under Trump’s leadership, DOGE has already started cutting down on federal waste through layoffs and investigations into agencies like the Departments of Labor, Defense, Health and Human Services, and others. Musk pointed out that these efforts are crucial for restoring democracy and ensuring that US taxpayer money is spent wisely.

“They’re finding billions, and soon hundreds of billions, of dollars lost to fraud, waste, and abuse,” Trump said. “Musk is doing a fantastic job uncovering this.”

Musk also emphasized that DOGE’s goal is to cut $1 trillion from the national deficit, down from the previous target of $2 trillion. However, he noted that they have only uncovered about one percent of the existing waste.

“If we don’t control the deficit, the US will face bankruptcy,” Musk warned. “Just like an individual, a country can go bankrupt if it spends beyond its means. We’re only getting started, but we’re determined to protect US taxpayer money from further waste.”