When tech billionaire Elon Musk was assigned the role of helming a commission to reboot the government administration by Donald Trump, he had minimal knowledge of the nuts and bolts of federal governance. A host of over 60 people who were close to Mr. Musk’s endeavours shared fresh insights with The New York Times. These insiders shed light on the clandestine meetings that took place in Palm Beach, Florida, and the initial reconnaissance work that was done in Washington, all with the aim of gaining a thorough understanding of the task at hand.
Elon Musk found himself in the deep affairs of the government’s operation which was a steep learning trajectory for him. Post the elections, he spent most of his time at Trump’s Florida-based Mar-a-Lago club. Here, experienced right-wing operatives like Stephen Miller, present deputy chief of staff, and Russell T. Vought, current director of the Office of Management and Budget, schooled him in the workings of the bureaucracy well.
Musk’s strategic outlook towards his mission began to mature with his progressive understanding of the government’s working. Different from past financiers who were eager to establish committees, Musk and his team were more interested in gaining direct and intimate access to the workings of government systems.
The team adopted a completely fresh perspective. They focused on an obscure yet influential division that spanned the entire government, the U.S. Digital Service. This division was the brainchild of President Barack Obama, who had established it in 2014 in response to the flawed launch of healthcare.gov.
By diverting their attention to focus on the digital office, a hub geared towards troubleshooting technical complications for government agencies, Musk’s team found an opportunity to gain a foothold within the vast bureaucratic network of the federal government. Their strategy was to decipher the way to dissemble and rebuild it.
Musk was bold in his approach and lobbied for groundbreaking overhauls, akin to the ones he initiated at Twitter. He was often restless with cautionary advice that emphasized the need for a squad of law professionals to assist with implementing executive orders and revising regulations.
Musk encouraged his consultants to brainstorm approaches to streamline the national human resources pool. This foundational work was laid by his team even before the official inauguration ceremony had taken place.
The team’s advance work to establish a presence within the digital office began sooner than previously known, enabling them to commence their operation on Trump’s inaugural day. The identification of this unit as a strategic component of his plan happened around the same time when the Trump administration transition was equipped with a critical internal supporter.
Amy Gleason, a former member of the digital service unit, returned to the team as a senior advisor just as Biden’s administration started to wind down. She was portrayed to her colleagues as a facilitator for the Trump administration’s transition period.
While this was happening, Musk’s comrades began to scatter throughout various branches of the government as part of the ongoing transition. They collected valuable information about computer systems, contracts, and personnel during this period.