Elon Musk's power is limited by the White House?

US President Donald Trump has clarified the authority of his adviser - billionaire Elon Musk - amid a wave of protests over mass layoffs of federal employees.

Politico reported yesterday that President Trump called a cabinet meeting on March 6 to clarify that the ministers were in charge of their agencies, not Mr. Elon Musk, who was also present at the meeting.

Two administration officials revealed that President Trump said Mr. Musk and his Office of Government Efficiency (DOGE) only had the authority to make recommendations, while the secretaries had the final say on policy and personnel for each department. Mr. Musk reportedly supported President Trump's directive and admitted that DOGE had made "mistakes" in cutting federal spending and staff.

Mr. Elon Musk speaks at a cabinet meeting at the White House on February 26.

Mr. Musk's power

The meeting comes after a series of massive layoffs across the federal government. The layoffs have caused panic among workers and led to a series of lawsuits, with plaintiffs claiming Mr. Musk is leading an “unlawful and uncontrolled” reduction of the federal government.

Justice Department lawyers argued that the administration did not direct the firing, but merely provided guidance, and insisted that the leader of DOGE was Amy Gleason, a former health care official, not Mr. Musk. Meanwhile, President Trump made contradictory statements in a speech to Congress this week that DOGE was headed by Mr. Musk.

Why did billionaire Musk's DOGE employees quit en masse?

On the other hand, many lawmakers and cabinet secretaries have also expressed concerns about Mr. Musk's power. The Washington Post , citing sources, said that some cabinet members have complained about being forced to publicly defend DOGE-led policies that have changed their agencies, leading to congressional scrutiny and public protests. The newspaper cited Secretary of State Marco Rubio as angry about DOGE's efforts to reduce State Department staff and cut the number of embassies and consulates.

Meanwhile, Republican leaders are also encouraging lawmakers to avoid in-person meetings amid outrage from their constituents over spending cuts and layoffs of federal employees, according to The New York Times . Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-Ky.) told CNN on March 4 that secretaries should retain full hiring and firing authority.

Trump's strategy?

At the March 6 meeting, Mr. Trump made a change that signaled a more thorough approach to the upcoming streamlining policy, asking for the use of a "scalpel" instead of an "axe." The leader instructed ministers to work with DOGE on cost-cutting and personnel measures, to "determine exactly who should stay and who should go." Speaking to reporters afterward, Mr. Trump made it clear that he did not want a major cut with many good people being eliminated. However, he also noted that ministers had the right to keep as many people as they needed but the priority was to cut. "If they don't cut, Elon will do it," he said.

Trump’s new move to clarify the roles of Musk and his ministers is believed to be aimed at adding weight to the lawsuits. On the other hand, it could also be the president’s time-out tactic to limit the economic impact of massive layoffs and canceled contracts, according to Vox .

Which 5 cryptocurrencies did Trump name for the strategic reserve list?

Trump orders creation of Bitcoin Reserve

President Trump signed an executive order on March 6 to establish a strategic Bitcoin reserve. White House digital currency adviser David Sacks said the reserve will contain all Bitcoins confiscated by the US government from criminal or civil cases. The official estimated that the US government currently owns about 200,000 Bitcoins. The purpose of establishing the Bitcoin Reserve under President Trump's executive order is to manage and protect the US government's digital assets, under the supervision of the Treasury Department. However, the White House emphasized that it has no plans to buy more Bitcoin from the market and will not sell Bitcoin in the reserve, but will only keep it as a reserve asset. According to AFP, Bitcoin prices fell 5% after the announcement. Earlier this week, Mr. Trump said he would put five cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, into the reserve, causing the market prices of these currencies to skyrocket.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/ong-elon-musk-bi-nha-trang-han-che-quyen-hanh-185250307213025886.htm