US President Donald Trump convened his first Cabinet meeting at the White House on Wednesday. The meeting included Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Notably, billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, who is not a Cabinet member, was also in attendance.
Musk’s role in the Trump Administration
Musk, the CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, has been designated a special government employee and has been informally tasked with overseeing the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed his attendance ahead of the meeting, stating that Musk would discuss the administration’s efforts to identify waste, fraud, and inefficiencies within federal agencies.
“Musk will discuss DOGE’s efforts and how all of the cabinet secretaries are identifying waste, fraud, and abuse at their respective agencies,” Leavitt said on Tuesday.
Trump praises Musk’s involvement
Ahead of the meeting, Trump took to Truth Social to express his confidence in Musk’s contributions. “ALL CABINET MEMBERS ARE EXTREMELY HAPPY WITH ELON. The Media will see that at the Cabinet Meeting this morning!!!” Trump wrote.
Opposition to Musk’s cost-cutting measures
While Musk’s role in the administration has been praised by Trump, his aggressive cost-cutting initiatives have sparked controversy among federal employees and department heads. In a recent move, Musk directed all federal employees to submit a list of five accomplishments from the past week or face termination. The directive, issued through the Office of Personnel Management, caused confusion and resistance among government workers.
Several Senate-confirmed department heads reportedly advised their employees to disregard Musk’s directive.
Cabinet meetings and policy direction
Cabinet meetings traditionally include appointed department heads, the White House chief of staff, and the president and vice president. While Musk’s attendance is unusual, his influence over the administration’s efficiency initiatives signals a shift in how the Trump administration approaches governance and federal spending.
The meeting marks the beginning of what is expected to be a series of discussions on government reforms, with Musk playing a central role in reshaping federal operations.
