Steve Bannon, the previous chief strategist of President Donald Trump, recently expressed doubts regarding Elon Musk’s activities within the Department of Government Efficiency. In his speech at the World Economy Summit, Bannon questioned Musk’s findings, claiming that they were not adding up. Without concrete proof of findings, Bannon was hesitant to accept Musk’s claims at face value. In particular, he expressed a desire to see a detailed account of any detected fraudulent activities or waste in the department.
More so, Bannon called for a certification letter that would validate the absence of unauthorized data extraction from the Trump administration and the larger government. ‘Trust, but verify’, Bannon replied when asked about his expectations from Musk. These remarks demonstrate Bannon’s skepticism of Musk’s operations within the government institution, further heated by Musk’s plans to lessen his ties with Washington and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Furthermore, Bannon had previously been vocal about his criticism of Musk, labeling him as ‘a parasitic illegal immigrant’. Regardless, he insisted on witnessing tangible results of Musk’s work at the DOGE, seemingly unfazed by Musk’s decision to focus more on his role at Tesla. This could be reflective of Bannon’s desire for accountability and clarification of any uncovered issues.
While other democrats in Washington are calling for similar proof, none have yet been presented. Statements from both Musk and the Trump Administration suggested widespread evidence of government waste and fraud. However, these claims remain unsupported due to a lack of verifiable proof, prompting growing skepticism and calls for transparency.
Elon Musk, notably one of Trump’s trusted advisors, announced a shift in priorities to Tesla. This announcement came following a significant reduction in the company’s first-quarter profit. The decision to dedicate more time to Tesla will be effective from May onward, a move potentially influenced by the company’s recent financial performance.
Initially, DOGE was designed to operate as an independent advisory panel. It was expected that Musk would co-lead the panel with biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. However, changes in plans led to Ramaswamy stepping down to pursue a political career and run for the Ohio governor’s seat.
With the departure of Ramaswamy, DOGE transitioned into becoming an integral part of the government structure. Consequently, the department was replenished with Musk’s allies, who were subsequently assigned various roles within the bureaucracy. Notably, these allies were tasked with tasks such as terminating contracts, accessing sensitive data, and advocating for budget cuts.