Not receiving salary from the government, still running a series of "golden goose"

Billionaire Elon Musk, who is rapidly downsizing the US government at the request of President Donald Trump, is now considered a "special government employee," the White House said on February 3.

Một nhân viên đặc biệt trong chính phủ Mỹ: Chẳng nhận lương từ nhà nước, vẫn điều hành hàng loạt 'con gà đẻ trứng vàng'

Billionaire Elon Musk is classified as a 'special government employee'. (Source: Getty Images)

Reuters news agency quoted White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt as saying that Mr. Musk is classified as a "special government employee." A second senior White House official said that the billionaire does not receive a salary from the state apparatus and is following the law, despite serving as Secretary of Government Efficiency.

Mr. Musk has promised “massive layoffs” across the federal system. In recent days, the billionaire has drawn widespread attention as his team has been given access to or has taken control of many government systems.

According to US analysts, the title of head of the Department of Government Efficiency allows the world's richest man to work for the federal government but can avoid regulations on public disclosure of conflicts of interest and finances that apply to regular government employees.

While leading the department, Mr. Musk continues to run the electric car company Tesla and the aerospace company SpaceX. As CEO of SpaceX, Mr. Musk oversees the company’s multibillion-dollar contracts with the Pentagon and the intelligence community.

Mr Trump, who has tasked Mr Musk with overseeing reforms to the US Agency for International Development (USAID), defended the billionaire on the same day, saying there were limits to what the SpaceX CEO could do.

Responding to reporters, President Trump affirmed: "Elon cannot and will not do anything without our approval, and we will approve when appropriate; when inappropriate, we will not approve."

In addition, the 47th White House boss appreciated the fact that billionaire Elon Musk "has good natural instincts and a team of very talented people".

According to data from the US Federal Election Commission (FEC), Mr. Musk spent more than a quarter of a billion dollars to help Mr. Trump win the November 2024 presidential election.

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