Elon Musk's presence at President Donald Trump's first Cabinet meeting has highlighted his growing influence within the administration. Despite not being an elected official or confirmed by the Senate, Musk's power and reach have expanded rapidly.
Musk's participation in the Cabinet meeting coincides with his efforts to reshape the federal workforce in line with Trump's vision. His sweeping orders to government employees have caused friction among Cabinet secretaries and members of Congress, according to sources familiar with the situation.
The tensions escalated following Musk's issuance of a six-word directive that caused widespread chaos within the government. The directive, which was emailed on Saturday by the Office of Personnel Management at Musk's direction, simply asked: “What did you do last week?”
White House officials maintained they were not surprised by the email, but it caught many Cabinet officials and members of Congress off guard. The directive came with a threat that those who failed to respond promptly could face termination, leading to questions about Musk's authority to issue such orders.
A senior White House official noted that many agencies were not informed in advance, causing significant headaches. Several agencies alerted the White House and their employees about the challenges posed by the sensitive nature of their work in responding to the email.
This move led to "some annoyance" among top officials and Cabinet secretaries, who are tasked with conducting their own reviews to determine where cuts might be needed. Some secretaries, having only recently assumed their roles, were concerned about the lack of time to assess their workforce before facing potential firings.
Agencies such as the FBI, and the Departments of State, Justice, Energy, Homeland Security, and Defense instructed their employees not to respond due to the sensitive nature of their work. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified that Musk, as a special government employee, lacks the authority to hire and fire federal workers, emphasizing that Trump will defer to his Cabinet secretaries on handling the directive.
While some in the executive office of the president are exempt from responding to the email, the controversy has sparked skepticism among top administration officials. Musk's actions, often deemed DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) moves, have raised concerns about his approach to implementing priorities.
Musk's decision to issue the directive follows his and his advisers' frequent visits to the Eisenhower Executive Office Building and other agencies, where they inquire about employees' roles in the government. Musk enjoys virtually unfettered access to the West Wing and regularly meets with White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller to coordinate plans.
Sources indicate that Musk has a list of ideas he plans to implement through DOGE, including the controversial email demanding government employees list their activities from the previous week. This move was executed by Anthony Armstrong, a banker who assisted Musk in taking over Twitter and is now stationed at the OPM.
While some Trump administration officials acknowledge the need to address government inefficiencies, they express concerns about Musk's "cut and ask questions later" strategy.
Despite the controversy, Musk has not yet irked President Trump, who reportedly appreciates Musk's disruptive influence and swift actions. Trump values the fast-paced nature of Musk's initiatives and encourages decisive action without delay, according to sources close to the president.
As Musk's role in the administration continues to evolve, his influence and strategies will likely remain a topic of interest and debate among government officials and the public alike.
CNN's Jeff Zeleny contributed to this report.
