U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that Elon Musk will lead an audit of the defence department, urging the tech billionaire to uncover billions of dollars in fraud and inefficiency within the massive defence budget.
Trump disclosed this on Sunday during a Super Bowl interview with Fox News and also said he plans to direct Musk to expand his oversight efforts beyond the military.
“I’m going to tell him very soon, like maybe in 24 hours, to go check the Department of Education. … Then I’m going to go, go to the military. Let’s check the military,” Trump said.
The U.S. Defence Department (Pentagon), which has a nearly $1trn annual budget, has long faced scrutiny over wasteful spending. In December, the immediate past President, Joe Biden authorised $895bn in defense spending for the current fiscal year.
Musk has been tasked with streamlining the federal workforce, through has Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). As part of this initiative, his department has sought access to confidential government systems, raising concerns among critics.
Opponents argue that the effort is legally dubious, could expose classified information, and is effectively dismantling federal agencies without approval by U.S. lawmakers.
National Security Adviser, Mike Waltz indicated that the Pentagon’s procurement system, particularly in shipbuilding, is a prime target for reform.
“Everything there seems to cost too much, take too long, and deliver too little to the soldiers,” Waltz told the NBC on Sunday.
“We do need business leaders to go in there and absolutely reform the Pentagon’s acquisition process,” he added.
While calls for military budget reform have come from both parties, Democrats and federal employee unions warn that Musk’s department lacks the expertise needed to handle Pentagon restructuring.
Adding to the controversy, Musk’s companies hold major contracts with the department of defence, raising concerns over potential conflicts of interest.
Trump Tasks Musk To Find Billions In Defence Audit is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
Source: The Whistler
