President Donald Trump shared plans to instruct Elon Musk to investigate wasteful spending in the Education and Defense Departments. Speaking to Fox News anchor Bret Baier, Trump praised Musk’s commitment to cutting government waste.
“He’s not gaining anything. In fact, I wonder how he can devote the time to it,” Trump said.
Trump said he’ll soon tell Musk to examine the Department of Education. After that, the military will be next. “We’re going to find billions, hundreds of billions of dollars of fraud and abuse, and the people elected me on that,” he added.
The interview, set to air during a special 3 p.m. time slot on Super Bowl Sunday, highlights Trump’s early efforts since taking office. Baier focused on the administration’s changes in its first 100 days.
One major change is the creation of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Since January 20, DOGE has been tracing federal spending and identifying waste across agencies.
The crackdown has sparked backlash from some Democrats. Last week, a group attempted to storm the Department of Education over potential budget cuts. Thirty House Democrats tried to meet with acting Education Secretary Denise L. Carter but were blocked by security.
Trump and Republicans have long supported shutting down the Department of Education. They argue states should oversee education, not the federal government. Trump even suggested that Linda McMahon, his education secretary nominee, should “put herself out of a job” once confirmed.
“The people want me to find it [the wasteful spending],” Trump told Baier. “And I’ve had great help with Elon Musk, who’s been terrific.”
More of Trump’s interview will air on “Special Report with Bret Baier” on Monday, February 10.