Trump Says He Will Create Commission on Government Efficiency Chaired by Elon Musk

PHOENIX — Former President Donald Trump said Thursday he would create a government efficiency commission to conduct an audit of the entire federal government, an idea suggested by billionaire Elon Musk, who would head it.

The commission is the latest high-profile alliance between Trump and Musk, who runs companies including Tesla and SpaceX and has become an increasingly vocal supporter of Trump’s return to the White House.

The Republican presidential candidate claimed that in 2022, “fraud and improper payments alone will cost taxpayers an estimated hundreds of billions of dollars.” He said the commission will recommend “drastic reforms” and develop a plan to eliminate fraud and improper payments within six months, which he said will save trillions of dollars.

“We have to do this,” Trump said. “We can’t continue to do what we’re doing now.”

Trump also promised that if elected in November, for every new government regulation he passes, he will reduce the number of changes introduced by 10.

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Trump reveals economic plans to New York executives

He announced the plans in a speech to the Economic Club of New York, a group of executives and industry leaders, where he also outlined proposals to reduce regulation and increase energy production, accept cryptocurrencies and drastically reduce government spending as well as corporate taxes for companies manufacturing in the U.S.

“I look forward to serving America if the opportunity arises,” Musk wrote on X, the social media platform he owns. “No salary, title, or recognition needed.”

The former president and Musk discussed the entrepreneur’s role in the second Trump administration during a live-streamed conversation on X last month.

“You’re the biggest cutter,” Trump told Musk at the time. “I need Elon Musk — I need someone who has a lot of strength, courage and intelligence. I want to close the Department of Education, move education back to the states.”

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From Rivals to Allies: Trump and Musk’s Evolving Relationship

Trump and Musk, the two most powerful men in the world, have gone from fierce rivals to unlikely allies in one election season.

Musk, who until recently described himself as a “moderate Democrat,” suggested in 2022 that Trump was too old to be president again. Still, Musk formally endorsed Trump two days after his assassination attempt last month.

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Historical Context: Previous Efforts to Reform Government

Presidents have launched various government reform efforts over the years, including the National Partnership for Reinventing Government, created during the Bill Clinton administration and led by then-Vice President Al Gore, which aimed to simplify the federal bureaucracy, cut costs and make agencies more responsive to public needs.