Exclusive – Elon Musk called on Thursday to “abolish entire agencies” of the US federal government, as part of his efforts under the administration of US President Donald Trump to cut spending and restructure priorities.
Musk gave a wide-ranging video presentation at the World Government Summit in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, of what he described as the Trump administration’s priorities, including multiple references to “thermonuclear war” and the potential dangers of artificial intelligence.
“We have bureaucracy here instead of democracy,” said Musk, who was wearing a black T-shirt that read “Tech Support.” “I think we need to abolish entire agencies instead of leaving them behind,” he added. “If you don’t get the roots of the weeds out, they’ll grow back.”
Musk has consolidated his control over large parts of the government with President Donald Trump’s blessing since taking over the Department of Government Efficiency, sidelining veteran officials, accessing sensitive databases and causing a constitutional clash over the limits of presidential power.
“A lot of attention has been on USAID, for example,” Musk said, referring to Trump’s dismantling of the agency. “They say it’s the national endowment of democracy. I say, ‘Well, how much democracy have they achieved recently?’”
He pointed out that America under Trump’s leadership is “less interested in interfering in the affairs of other countries.”
