Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently shared his vision for managing the proposed Department of Government Efficiency if appointed by Donald Trump. Speaking at a town hall in Philadelphia, Musk's first solo event in support of Trump, he emphasized the need to tackle the "staggering" waste in federal spending. He stressed that taxpayer money should be used solely for the benefit of the American people, calling any other use a "misuse of the funds." Musk was responding to a question about whether the U.S. should stop funding "forever wars."

"The amount of waste within the federal government is truly staggering," Musk said. For any spending, we should always consider, "How does this benefit the American people? He went on to highlight that politicians often forget they are spending the people's money, and if it's not benefiting the public, it’s being misused.

Elon Musk's remarks followed Donald Trump's recent declaration that, if re-elected, he would establish a government efficiency commission with Musk leading the initiative. During a speech at the New York Economic Club, Trump detailed his proposal to audit federal spending in order to eliminate "fraud and improper payments." He stated, "I will form a government efficiency commission responsible for carrying out a comprehensive financial and performance audit of the entire federal government." Musk, showing interest in the role, tweeted, "I’m willing to serve America if the chance comes. No pay, no title, and no recognition are necessary."

This focus on government efficiency aligns with Trump's long-standing critique of waste and bureaucracy, similar to past efforts like Ronald Reagan's Grace Commission.