Trump Says Musk Will Expose "Hundreds Of Billions" In Government Fraud

President Donald Trump has entrusted Elon Musk, the world's richest man, with the task of uncovering "hundreds of billions of dollars of fraud" within federal agencies. In a recent Fox News interview, Trump expressed his commitment to addressing waste and abuse, stating that the American people want him to take action.

"We're going to find billions, hundreds of billions of dollars of fraud and abuse. And, you know, the people elected me on that," Trump said in the interview excerpts released by Fox.

Musk, leading the president's cost-cutting efforts, is expected to play a crucial role in identifying areas of inefficiency and mismanagement.

Trump has instructed Musk to conduct a thorough audit of the Pentagon, with a focus on uncovering billions of dollars in fraud and abuse. The Pentagon's budget, approaching $1 trillion annually, presents a significant target for cost-cutting measures. In December, former President Joe Biden signed a bill authorising $895 billion in defense spending for the fiscal year ending September 30.

Musk's role in leading the Department of Government Efficiency has sparked controversy, with critics arguing that his efforts are likely illegal and risk exposing classified information. Despite these concerns, Trump remains committed to slashing the size of the U.S. federal workforce, with Musk aides seeking access to confidential information in computer systems at various government agencies.

National Security Adviser Mike Waltz has highlighted the Pentagon's shipbuilding processes as an area of particular interest for the Department of Government Efficiency. Waltz described the current state of shipbuilding as "an absolute mess," suggesting that significant reforms are necessary to improve efficiency and reduce waste.

Musk has already taken steps to shut down the US Agency for International Development and laid off thousands of employees. Per Trump's orders he will soon move over to the Department of Education to do the same.

"Then I'm going to go to the military," Trump said.

Musk has billions of dollars worth in contracts with the federal government, according to House Democrat Mark Pocan. However, Trump added that Musk is not gaining anything financially by working with DOGE.