A House Democratic lawmaker stated that if Democrats regain control of the House of Representatives, they will likely subpoena Tesla CEO and former Trump administration special government employee Elon Musk.
Musk, who left his government role last week following the expiration of his special government employee status, appeared alongside President Donald Trump at a May 30 news conference in the Oval Office. The tech billionaire played a pivotal role in the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), tasked with eliminating fraud and reducing wasteful government spending. So far, DOGE reports it has saved taxpayers tens of billions of dollars and aims to increase that amount to over $1 trillion.
Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) told MSNBC on Sunday that Democrats had previously attempted to subpoena Musk, but those efforts were blocked by Republicans, who currently control the House and its committees.
If Democrats control the House, “we can have him testify under oath and question him about everything he’s done,” she added.
Musk, who recently left his advisory role in the Trump administration after serving 130 days as a special government employee, appeared in good spirits during a press conference with the president. Both Trump and Musk indicated that their relationship remains positive and that work on DOGE would continue.
In April, senior Democrats on the Senate and House appropriations committees criticized Musk and Trump for blocking what they described as $430 billion in congressionally appropriated funds.
“Instead of investing in the American people, President Trump is ignoring our laws and diverting resources,” the Democrats said in a statement, adding that the funding cut or frozen by the Trump administration had been approved by Congress.
Since taking office in January, Trump has emphasized his goal to reduce federal overspending and eliminate programs that don’t align with American priorities.
In a White House statement, Trump described the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) as an initiative aimed at bringing “accountability and transparency to federal spending, ensuring taxpayer dollars are spent wisely and effectively,” noting that it “has already saved taxpayers billions of dollars.”
Since DOGE was established by executive order in January, its website reports that more than $175 billion in contracts, grants, and leases have been cut — equating to over $1,080 saved per taxpayer.
While serving in the government, Musk framed his efforts to overhaul the federal bureaucracy in stark, urgent terms. “If it’s not possible now, it will never be possible. This is our shot,” he told reporters in the Oval Office in February. “This is the best hand of cards we’re ever going to have. If we don’t take advantage of this best hand of cards, it’s never going to happen.”
In a CBS News interview published Sunday, Musk expressed his desire to drastically cut funding for federal agencies, which he views as inefficient and wasteful. He compared the federal government to an oversized Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), known for its sluggishness and bureaucratic inefficiency.
“But my frank opinion of the government is that, like, the government is just, like, the DMV that got big, okay? So, when you say, ‘Let’s have the government do something,’ you should think, ‘Do you want the DMV to do it?’” he asked.
Post a Comment