“The US government has not paid us for the reason that end of December. We have about $ 12 million we delivered. We wonder if that is so – is the US government still good? Is your word still good? “Just a few weeks after taking office, President Trump aimed at USAid:” The whole thing is a fraud. To be used little or no. “But his mission to reduce the expenditure for foreign help could cost thousands of jobs at home.” Here we come from Florida. Texas. For greater than a decade, the operation has been heavily based on the USAID financing. But on this Republican district, the employees could pay the value. “I used to be born here in Fitzgerald and grew up all my life. I just looked for extra money, pay higher. But after I arrived here and discovered what we do, the mission is to feed the youngsters. This place here is required. “In the early 2000s, Fitzgerald lost a big manufacturer of cars and railway jobs and was economically beaten up. “Really put within the mouth in some way. Unemployment probably rose from 4 percent to around 15, 16 percent. “In 2011 Mana opened his first factory here. Two years ago, they announced plans to quadruple production. “We hoped to become the capital of the hunger solution of the world.” “This is just not about eliminating foreign help. There are things that we do through USA, which we should always proceed to do. “At the top of February, Foreign Minister Marco Rubio announced a 3rd of Mana's contracts and said they weren’t in national interest. Every week later they were stopped again. The backwards and forwards broadcasts have stranded and got the business partners of Mana in a nutshell. “There continues to be numerous uncertainty. We received many calls. Peanut shells, suppliers say: “Are you continue to in business? Are you good for these contracts? 'When we check with our banks: “Is our credit line still good for us if our only customer does not pay?” “Well, even some of our employees, they voted with this administration. You can see who chose because you cannot hold it out now. You are concerned. “” I can't help but believe that the president has a strategy and we have the feeling that we will be implemented. I hope it certainly. “” I hope that the administration will have the moral imagination to preserve the interests and budget of the American people, but continue to feed the poorest in the world. ” “Are we concerned? Something. But we pray. “

policy

Elon Musk got here to the Capitol Hill on Wednesday on the weekly lunch of the Senate to ask questions on the work he for President Donald Trump on the Department of Government Efficiency, the office he formed, which he formed, which led to a bureaucracy, without input of the congress.

They had rather a lot.

Republican senators have raised only a couple of public complaints about Musk because he did mass shots throughout the federal government without consulting or informing them. But in the course of the almost two -hour meeting closed doors, the senators gently questioned him how they might share feedback, minimize the back swing from their voters and possibly finally vote on the cuts he made.

At one point in the course of the largely friendly exchange, Musk, who didn’t make his own presentation, shared his personal phone number with the senators and encouraged her to contact her directly.

“We receive feedback and want to react to our voters – how do we most effectively work for it?” Senator John Hoeven from North Dakota said after the meeting when he characterised the tenor of the questions of his colleagues.

Other Republicans said they only tried to learn the way they were successful and Trump may very well be successful.

“There was only a general discussion about how we can make its cuts permanently,” said Senator John Kennedy from Louisiana. “There were general discussions about how we, as senators, can better explain what he is doing.”

The assembly has emphasized the puzzle that Doges Slash-and-Burn-Approach created various republican legislators. Many of them really imagine that the Federal Government and the workforce ought to be reduced, and most hesitate to criticize Trump or Musk, who has a preference for using its social media platform X, to unleash a flood of abuse against its critics, including the Republican legislature.

But in addition they face intensive setbacks from member groups at home which might be affected by extensive cuts and layoffs.

In some cases, this has heated up an unpleasant two -stage for the Republicans who’ve praised the work that does the mastiff, and at the identical time tacitly after exceptions and special considerations for the financing that helps their very own voters.

“People endeavored to have more feedback opportunities,” said Senator John Cornyn from Texas, who praised Musk's efforts within the Senate before the meeting.

According to the legislators present, Musk accepted a largely determined tone. When a senator stood and asked who he contacted with questions on the efforts of the group, one among Musk's high -ranking consultants voluntarily reported. Musk threw in and said senators could contact him directly, said a one who experienced the exchange.

While he told the senators that a fundamental goal within the Pentagon disappeared – often a spot where the Republicans of the Senate refused to entertain outputs – he began to pass on an anecdote, the Senator Susan Collins of Maine, the chairman of the appropriation committee, shared with him. In the story of this story that he previously discussed, he said that Collins gave the marine money for more U -boats, but no latest u -boats were produced.

The senators said they were excited about being targeted by Musk's group – a step that will support Doges's actions and at the identical time recapture the ability of the congress within the wallet.

Senator Randrand Paul von Kentucky suggested that the legislators should ultimately vote on the cuts which have instructed the mastiff with the withdrawal procedure with which the President calls on the congress of terminating certain funds.

Paul suggested that the choice of the Supreme Court on Wednesday, by which a majority of the judges Trump's emergency proposal for freezing almost 2 billion US dollars in abroad, rejected that using the withdrawal process can be more fruitful than one -sided attempts by the chief to rent the financing.

“This is a bigger argument than just one person,” said Paul in an interview.

He added: “Either the cuts and all the great things I think that she evaporates Elon – they are short -lived – or we put them in a withdrawal package, they send them back to us and we tune up or down to get rid of them.”

Musk appeared to support the concept, in keeping with several senators who were present.

“At some point he said:” You needed to act here to do anything about this constant, “said Senator Josh Hawley from Missouri.

Musk later discovered on Wednesday evening in Capitol, in one other meeting with closed doors, which lasted about two hours, also the Republicans of the home in Capitol. The message that the legislator sent him from South Carolina, in keeping with Rep. Ralph Norman: “Do not accelerate, slower.”

This article originally appeared in .

National news

A federal judge within the early Saturday was blocked Elon Musk Department for Government Efficiency From access to records of the financial department that incorporates sensitive personal data resembling social security and checking account numbers for tens of millions of Americans.

The US district judge Paul A. Engelmayer has issued the injunction after 19 democratic lawyers were sued General President Donald Trump. The caseSubmitted before the Federal Court in New York City, claims that the Team's Trump government has allowed the team to access the central payment system of the financial department in violation of the Federal Law.

The payment system takes over tax reimbursements, social security advantages, benefits of veterans and rather more and sends trillion dollars yearly, while an expansive network of the non-public and financial data of the Americans incorporates.

Engelmayer, who was appointed by President Barack Obama, also said that everybody who has had access to the sensitive information since January 20 must immediately destroy all copies of the fabric downloaded from Treasury Department Systems.

He set a hearing for February 14th.

The White House didn’t immediately reply to a request for a comment on the submitted lawsuit.

Musk's department for presidency efficiency, also often called Doge, was created To discover and eliminate what the Trump government viewed as wasteful government spending. Doges Access to financial records and the inspection of assorted government agencies has triggered concern concerning the increasing power of musk to critics, while the supporters have cheered on the thought of ​​restoring government funds in inflated.

Musk made fun of the criticism of Doge on his X -Social -Media platform and explains that they save taxpayers tens of millions of dollars.

New York Attorney General Letitia JamesThe office filed the lawsuit, said Doges access to the information of the Ministry of Finance, security problems and the potential of illegal freezing in federal funds.

“This non -selected group, led by the richest man on this planet, isn’t entitled to acquire this information, and you’ve got expressly requested this non -authorized access to illegally blocked payments on which tens of millions of Americans depend on, payments for health care, childcare And other essential programs, programs, programmed that tens of millions of Americans depend on and so they have expressly blocked on illegally. James said in a video message published by her office on Friday.

James, a Democrat who was one in every of Trump's chiefs by Trump, said that the president had no authority to present away the private information of Americans to someone he chooses, and he cannot shorten any federal payments approved by the congress.

Also within the lawsuit are Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin.

In the lawsuit it’s claimed that DGEs could affect access to the financial records that would affect the funds already acquired by the congress, which might exceed the legal authority of the Ministry of Finance. The case can be argued that access to Doge violates the executive right of the federal government and the separation of powers of the US structure by the powers of the US structure.

In addition, the finance minister Scott Bessent accuses the longstanding policy of the department of the protection of sensitive personal information and financial information to be able to provide Musk's Doge team access to his payment systems.

“This decision did not take into account the legal obligations to protect such data and ignore the data protection expectations of the recipients of the Federal Fund,” including states, veterans, pensioners and taxpayers, the lawsuit says.

Attorney General of Connecticut William Tong It isn’t clear what Doge does with the knowledge within the financial systems.

“This is the greatest data injury in American history,” said Tong in a press release on Friday. “Doge is an illegally constituted band of renegade Tech -Bros, which combes sensitive data and demanding payment systems through confidential records. What could go improper? “

The finance department has announced that the review of the integrity of the system and that no changes are made. According to 2 people conversant in the method, Musk's team began his request Looking for tactics To suspend payments from the US agency for international development that Trump and Musk try to interrupt down. The two people spoke with the associated press on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.

Democratic legislators are separated Search for an investigation by the financial department from Doges access to the federal government's payment system.

In addition, unions and representative groups have sued to dam the check of the payment system concerning the concerns about their legality. A judge in Washington temporarily restricted access to 2 employees with “only” rules on Thursday.

One of the individuals who work with the billionaire Elon Musk in his efforts to revise the US government is a Berkeley-trained computer scientist who has increased white supremacists and misogynistic online.

Gavin Kliger lists his work at LinkedIn because the “special consultant of the director” within the Office of Personal Management, which has cited the efforts of Musk to scale back the federal worker. His USAID -E -Mail address was copied in a message that was checked by Reuters, which was sent to employees on the international aid agency on Monday. It asked her to remain at home while the agency was closed.

In 2020 he accomplished the University of California in Berkeley with a grade point average of three.95 and in electrical engineering and computer science, as he shows LinkedIn profile. Reuters confirmed his participation in Berkeley, but couldn’t check other details in his profile.

Kliger is one among a couple of dozen men identified by Reuters and other news agencies that were recruited by Musk and his Doge office to revamp the federal government. Reuters couldn’t learn how essential Kliger's role is at OPM.

In social media posts between October 2024 and January, Kliger expressed controversy views and re-published content from the white supremacist Nick Fuentes and the self-described women's enemy Andrew Tate.

An OPM spokeswoman refused to comment on the contributions of Kliger. Kliger didn’t reply to several inquiries about comments by e -mail and text. According to Reuters' request for comments on Thursday evening, public access to Kligers X account was blocked.

In response to a contribution to the Mayor of New York, Eric Adams, who could also be completing a migrant accommodation in November, Kliger wrote: “Just leave her for a few more months.”

Kliger has released comments from White Supemacist Fuentes, which was temporarily banished by social media platforms equivalent to Facebook, YouTube and Twitter for hate speeches.

Kliger shared a post dated December 4 of the X account from Fuentes. Kliger has not had the post since then, but Reuters examined a duplicate of the unique reposts on the Internet archive.

Fuentes mocked a contribution within the post on X, by which a photograph of a apparently white couple is praised, which is shown with two light -skinned children and a dark -skinned baby. In his post, Fuentes referred to “adopted black children”, which was disparaging the plain interracial adoption. He also used the word “Huzz”, a derogatory term for ladies. Reuters couldn’t immediately determine the identity or ethnicity of the people depicted. Fuentes didn’t reply to a request for comments on the contribution by e -mail.

Kliger has also released the social media influencer and the self-described women's enemy Andrew Tate.

The former Kickboxer from British Americans is examined by Romanian prosecutors for human trafficking, minors, sexual activity with minors and money laundering and has since founded a native British political party. Tate has denied misconduct.

The mail divided by Kliger warns foreigners “to respect British culture, the standards of hygiene and social norms.

Another employee of the State Ministry of Efficiency, Marko Elez, announced on Thursday in the middle of questions from Wall Street Journal via links to a deleted social media report that campaigned for racism and Eugenik, as can be seen from the published history of the journal. Reuters could not find out how Elez, Kliger or one of the people who worked with musk to reduce the government and the staff were selected for their work.

Trump and Vice President JD Vance said on Friday that Elez was supposed to get his job back.

Also on Friday, the ex-employer of Edward Coristine, another member of the Doge team, announced that Coristine had been released from an earlier job under a leak examination.

In an explanation in an answer to a query from Reuters on the employment of Coristiner, the network-based network of network monitoring of the network in Arizona said that Coristines “Short Treaty” ended after an internal examination of the proprietary company's abandoning, information was ended, which collided with his term. “

Coristine didn’t immediately reply to an inquiry that requested a comment. His discharge from the trail was first reported by Bloomberg.

An official of the White House announced Reuters on Wednesday that Musk and its engineers have appropriate security checks and in “complete compliance with the federal law, reasonable security checks and as employees of the responsible agencies, not operating as external consultants or companies”.

The Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), President Donald Trump's special Commission, who’s commissioned to cut back federal expenses Washington and the German bureaucracy disrupt. According to the reports published, his teams with a practically unlimited mandate to reform the federal government in accordance with the newest executive regulations are incorporated into federal authorities.

Than 30 years Cybersecurity veteranI find Doge's previous activities. His broad mandate in the federal government, apparently non -existent supervision and the apparent lack of surgical competence of its employees has shown that Doge could create conditions which can be ideal for cyber security or data protection incidents that influence the complete nation.

Traditionally the Purpose of cyber security the confidentiality and integrity of data and data systems should be ensured and help to offer these systems for those you would like. But in Doges first weeks of existence, Reports indicate this The staff appeared to ignore these principles and possibly make the federal government more vulnerable to cyber incidents.

Technical competence

Cyber ​​security and data technology, like all other business function, depend upon employees who’re specially trained for his or her work. Just as you wouldn’t allow someone to qualify for first aid to perform operations for open heart, technology experts Require a basis set From training, training and experience to be sure that essentially the most qualified individuals are in work.

At the moment, the general public, federal authorities and the congress hardly have an concept that tinker with the critical systems of the federal government. The attitude technique of Doge, including the screens of the applicants on technical, operational or cyber security competence in addition to experience in the federal government, is opaque. And journalists who examine the background of Doge employees were intimidated through the incumbent US lawyer in Washington.

Doge has young people committed Fresh from – or still in college or with little or no experience in the federal government, but that are said to have strong technical skills. But some have questionable background for such sensitive work. And a number one worker of Doge who works within the finance department receded About quite a lot of racist social media contributions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ad2ji1bwbfq

According to reports, these Doge employees were granted technical access to quite a lot of federal systems on the administrator level. This includes systems that each one process Federal paymentsIncluding social security, Medicare and the Congress that leads the federal government and its contract corporations.

Doge employees develop quickly and set Main software changes According to reports on very complex old systems and databases. In view of the speed of the change, nonetheless, it is probably going that there may be little formal planning or quality control to be sure that such changes don’t break the system. Such measures are in contradiction to the principles and best practices for the technology management of cybersecurity.

As a result, there may be probably no option to know whether these changes make it easier Malware are presented in state systems if sensitive data may be Access without permissionOr if the work of Doge government systems otherwise makes more unstable and susceptible.

If you don't know what you do in it, really bad things can occur. This is a remarkable example Failed start of the web site in healthcare.gov in 2013. In the case of the systems of the financial department, it is kind of necessary Debt crisis And residents are on the lookout for their social security payments.

On February 6, 2025, a federal judge ordered that the worker of Doge limited to writing -protected access For the payment systems of the Ministry of Finance, however the legal proceedings that query the legality of their access to state IT systems are ongoing.

Doge -e -Mail -Server

Dogy's obvious lack of cyber security competence is reflected in a few of his first actions. Doge has installed his own e-mail server throughout the federal government to facilitate direct communication with ranked employees outside the official channels and enable proven tried-and-tested procedures for cybersecurity and IT administration. A grievance from federal employees claims that these systems Didn't subject A security check based on the present federal government.

In the federal government there may be an outlined process to configure and use recent systems to be sure that they’re stable, secure and unlikely that they cause problems with cyber security. But Dogy ignored these practices with predictable results.

For example, a journalist was in a position to achieve this Send invitations At his newsletter for over 13,000 employees of the national ocean and atmosphere over one in every of these servers. In one other case the best way wherein employees react to the road of Doge's fork Buyout offer For federal employees, the collected employees will easily be manipulated by someone attack Could incorrectly end the employment of an worker. And the Dogy employees are reportedly Connecting your individual non -trustworthy devices To state networks that will introduce recent ways for cyber attacks to penetrate sensitive systems.

However, Doke seems to affect creative cyber security practices in shielding. Its internal communication is being reorganized to too Inquiries from Dodge Freedom of Information Act into his work and it uses cyber security techniques to pursue insiders threats Prevent and examine leaks of his activities.

Lack of management controls

But it shouldn’t be just the technical security that Ignore Doge. On February 2, two security officers from the US Agency for International Development Resistance to the granting of a Doge team Access to sensitive financial and personnel systems until their identity and approval have been checked in accordance with the federal requirements. Instead, the officers were threatened with arrest and placed on administrative leave, and the DOGE team was given access.

The Trump administration also has the federal information officer, normally leading profession employees with years of specialised knowledge be a general worker for political reasons subject to dismissal. In the Federal Government, there could be a brain outflow of IT talents, or a relentless turnover of senior IT management and other technical experts. This change will almost actually have an effect on cyber security.

Doge employees now have direct access To the database of the Office of Personnel Management of thousands and thousands of federal employees, including those with security checks which have sensitive positions. Without monitoring, this access opens the probabilities of knowledge protection violations, manipulation of employment documents, intimidation or political retaliation.

The support of all management levels is crucial to make sure the accountability obligation for cyber security and Technology management. This is especially necessary in the general public sector where supervision and accountability are a critical function of good democratic government and national security. If people don't know what they’re doing, they don't know what they’re doing unsuitable.

At the moment, Dogge seems to work with little or no supervision from everyone who is prepared or able responsible it for his actions.

Alleviate the damage

Career -federal worker who attempt to legally follow or Cyber ​​security practices For federal systems and data, it’s now placed in a difficult position. They either give up to the instructions of Doge's instructions, which supplies up best practice and ignore the federal standards or resist them and take the danger Fired or disciplined.

The Federal Government's extensive data collections touch every citizen and corporations. While government systems will not be as trustworthy as before, people can still take steps to guard themselves from disadvantageous consequences of Doge's activities. Two good starting points are closed Lock your loan office records If your government data is disclosed and various registrations and passwords are used for business activities.

For the administration, congress and the general public, it’s of crucial importance to acknowledge the hazards of cyber security that perform the activities of Doge and take meaningful steps with a purpose to bring the organization under appropriate control and supervision.

policy

Students from Harvard and northeast belong to 6 young men under the age of 24 who were classified as “critical” for Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, a report by WIRED.

Senior Ethan Shaotran and the coed of the northeast of the primary yr, Edward Coristine, were identified as previous connections to the musk. The 22-year-old Shaotran finished second at a Hackathon of Xai, Musk's Ai Company, while Coristine last yr summer intern at Neuralink, Musks Brain Computer Interface Company, based on WIRED.

Musk is answerable for the Department of Government Efficiency, a Trump Administration Task Force, which was arrange by January 20. The Task Force is assigned to “maximize state efficiency and productivity”, also by the discharge of federal staff and the performance of programs and budgets. Musk called Dogy “Die Wooden chopper for bureaucracy ”on X Monday.

Shaotran received a grant of $ 100,000 from Openai to develop an AI planning assistant, he wrote in Business Insider Last autumn. According to his Harvard profileHe is a student who crossed the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard Business School. He founded Energize.ai, which seems to have apparently been put down.

According to the university database, Coristine is enrolled as a mechanical engineering and physics predominant subject in Northeasters. WIRED reported that Coristine is an “expert” in US personnel management.

reported This corist is nineteen years old, born in December 2005, citing public records.

WIRED reported that each men even have state e -mail accounts in addition to physical and free IT access to the General Services Administration.

Coristine was added to calls with a non -government -Google Mail address, at which GSA worker was asked to think about the code they’d written and justify their work, reported WIRED. The employees weren’t said who was Coristine or why he was present.

On Friday, representatives of Doge received access to the federal payment system, which takes over around 6 trillion dollars annually. WIRED reported that Musk's team now has access to the classified, sensitive and private information of ten million residents, firms and more.

Senator Ed Markay and supporters gathered outside the finance department to protest against the access of Doge.

“Members of the congress was denied access to the building in which Musk's henchmen was allowed to root around in the personal data of the American person,” said Markay. “Nobody elected Elon Muschus.”

Tonight we gathered outside the finance department, since members of the congress were denied access to the constructing by which the henchmen from Musk were allowed to root in the private data of American roots. Nobody selected Elon Muschus. This could also be true about all candidates and fight to stop this. pic.twitter.com/liayg4jnho

– Ed brandy (@senmarkey) February 5, 2025

Shaotran and Coristine didn’t return any inquiries about comments.

By LISA MASCARO and KEVIN FREKING

WASHINGTON (AP) — This is it DOGE Time on the US Capitol.

Trump appointed the 2 business titans as his boss Ministry of Government Efficiencycommissioned with Firing federal employeesCuts to government programs and cuts to federal regulations — all a part of what he calls his “Save America” agenda for a second term within the White House.

“I think this will be a great start to the whole process,” said Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., who will chair a House oversight subcommittee in the brand new 12 months to “build the bridge between Congress and to beat DOGE”. .”

Washington has seen this before, with ambitious efforts to cut back the dimensions and scope of the federal government, which has happened prior to now encounter resistance as the general public faces cuts to trusted programs that tens of millions of Americans depend on for jobs, health care, military security and on a regular basis needs.

But this time it's Trump Occupation of his administration with battle-tested architects of comprehensive proposals, a few of that are outlined in Project 2025to greatly reduce and transform government. Musk and Ramaswamy said they plan to work with the White House Office of Management and Budget, which is led by Trump nominee Russ Vought Mastermind of past cuts.

“DOGE has a historic opportunity for structural cuts in the federal government,” Musk and Ramaswamy wrote in a single Editorial within the Wall Street Journal. “We are prepared for the onslaught.”

The duo was invited by the Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Johnson to go to Capitol Hill and face a primary private test with House and Senate lawmakers – some are excited to see what they'll be as much as.

“I'm excited to get out there and do something,” said Rep. Aaron Bean, R-Fla., who together with Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Texas, launched what they call the DOGE Caucus within the House greater than 50 Republicans and two Democratic members.

Bean said the DOGE Caucus will launch an email tip hotline for people to report wasteful spending. He also envisions a form of scoreboard that folks can view on a web site that shows “how many jobs we've cut, which agencies we've cut, and what the actual number is.”

In the Senate, Sens. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, and Rick Scott, R-Florida, have launched an analogous caucus.

Although neither Musk nor Ramaswamy have much experience in public service, they’ve successes within the private sector – Musk's corporations do extensive government contracts – and enthusiasm for Trump’s agenda after campaigning alongside him in the ultimate stretch of the election.

The richest man on the earth, Musk Millions poured in an try to eliminate the electorate to assist the previous president return to the White House. He is thought politically for transforming the favored social media site formerly often known as Twitter into X, a platform prized by Trump's MAGA enthusiasts.

Despite its name, the Department of Government Efficiency is neither a department nor a part of the federal government, which exempts Musk and Ramaswamy from undergoing the everyday ethics and background checks required for federal employment. They said they weren’t paid for his or her work.

An excellent government group has said that as a presidential advisory body, DOGE must be expected to stick to traditional practices of transparency, equal representation and public participation – as was the case with similar advisory bodies from the Reagan to Obama administrations .

The Federal Advisory Committee Act “is expressly designed for situations like this,” Lisa Gilbert and Robert Weissman, co-chairs of Public Citizen, wrote in a letter to the Trump transition team.

“If the government wants to turn to unelected and politically unaccountable people to recommend up to $2 trillion in budget cuts, it must ensure that those recommendations come from a balanced and transparent process that is not rigged to help insiders.”

According to the Congressional Budget Office, the country's $6 trillion federal budget repeatedly runs a deficit, which this 12 months was $1.8 trillion, a historic high. It hasn't been balanced for the reason that Clinton administration greater than twenty years ago.

Republicans generally blame what they see as exorbitant spending for the deficit, while Democrats point to tax cuts under Republican Presidents Trump and George W. Bush because the primary cause.

Last 12 months's revenue as a share of gross domestic product was just under the 50-year average, while spending was 23.4% of GDP, compared with the 50-year average of 21.1%.

Some of the largest spending increases last 12 months were on politically popular programs that lawmakers were reluctant to deal with. For example, in accordance with the Congressional Budget Office, spending on Social Security advantages increased 8%, Medicare spending increased 9%, defense spending increased 7%, and veterans health care spending increased 14%.

Rep. Ro Khanna of California said he would really like to see Musk testify before the House Armed Services Committee on the “bloated defense budget.”

“I would like to see Elon recommend some cuts. Let’s let him testify,” Khanna said.

He said he was open to proposals on non-defense spending but was skeptical.

“If they find rubbish, perhaps, but when it comes to big numbers, then no one will allow a cut in education funding for children with special needs and for low-income schools, or a cut in Social Security and health insurance,” Khanna said. “If they want to do that, they will give us a landslide in 2026.”

Originally published: December 5, 2024 at 8:20 am PST