US President Donald Trump has clarified the authority of his adviser - billionaire Elon Musk - amid a wave of protests over mass layoffs of federal employees.
Politico reported yesterday that President Trump called a cabinet meeting on March 6 to clarify that the ministers were in charge of their agencies, not Mr. Elon Musk, who was also present at the meeting.
Two administration officials revealed that President Trump said that Mr. Musk and his Office of Government Efficiency (DOGE) only had the authority to make recommendations, while the secretaries had the final say on policy and personnel for each department. Mr. Musk reportedly supported President Trump's directive and admitted that DOGE had made "mistakes" in cutting federal spending and staff.
Elon Musk speaks at a cabinet meeting at the White House on February 26.
Mr. Musk's power
The meeting comes after a series of massive layoffs across the federal government. The layoffs have caused panic among workers and led to a series of lawsuits, with plaintiffs claiming that Mr. Musk is leading an “unlawful and uncontrolled” reduction of the federal government.
Justice Department lawyers argued that the administration did not direct the firing, but merely provided guidance, and insisted that DOGE was headed by Amy Gleason, a former health care official, not Musk. Meanwhile, President Trump made contradictory statements in a speech to Congress this week that DOGE was headed by Musk.
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On the other hand, many lawmakers and cabinet secretaries have also expressed concerns about Mr. Musk’s power. The Washington Post , citing sources, reported that some cabinet members have complained about being forced to publicly defend DOGE-led policies that have transformed their agencies, leading to congressional scrutiny and public protests. The newspaper cited Secretary of State Marco Rubio as angry about DOGE’s efforts to reduce the number of State Department staff and cut the number of embassies and consulates.
Meanwhile, Republican leaders are also encouraging lawmakers to avoid in-person meetings amid outrage from their constituents over spending cuts and federal layoffs, according to The New York Times . Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-Ky.) told CNN on March 4 that secretaries should retain full hiring and firing authority.
Trump's strategy?
At the March 6 meeting, Trump signaled a more thorough approach to the upcoming streamlining policy, asking for the use of a "scalpel" instead of an "axe." The leader instructed ministers to work with DOGE on cost-cutting and personnel measures, "to determine exactly who should stay and who should go." Speaking to reporters afterward, Trump clarified that he did not want a major cut with a lot of good people being eliminated. However, he also noted that ministers had the right to keep as many people as they needed but the priority was to cut. "If they don't cut, Elon will do it," he said.
Trump’s new move to clarify the roles of Musk and his cabinet is believed to be intended to bolster the case in the lawsuits. On the other hand, it could also be a stopgap tactic by the president to limit the economic impact of massive layoffs and canceled contracts, according to Vox .
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Trump Orders Creation of Bitcoin Reserve
President Trump signed an executive order on March 6 to establish a strategic Bitcoin reserve. White House digital currency adviser David Sacks said the reserve would contain all Bitcoins seized by the US government from criminal or civil cases. The official estimated that the US government currently owns about 200,000 Bitcoins. The purpose of establishing the Bitcoin Reserve under President Trump's executive order is to manage and protect the US government's digital assets, under the supervision of the Treasury Department. However, the White House emphasized that it has no plans to buy more Bitcoins from the market and will not sell the Bitcoins in the reserve, but will only keep them as a reserve asset. According to AFP, the price of Bitcoin fell 5% after the announcement. Earlier this week, Mr. Trump said he would put five cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, into the reserve, causing the market prices of these currencies to skyrocket.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/ong-elon-musk-bi-nha-trang-han-che-quyen-hanh-185250307213025886.htm
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