US will go ‘bankrupt’ without cuts insists Elon Musk

Elon Musk took his son X into the Oval Office and showed him off to the cameras as he made his case for federal cuts.

Elon Musk and his son X join Donald Trump as he signs executive orders in the Oval Office. Picture: AFP.

Elon Musk, who has been tapped by President Donald Trump to lead federal cost-cutting efforts, has claimed the United States would go “bankrupt” without budget cuts.

Mr Musk leads the efforts under the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), and was speaking at the White House with Mr Trump – accompanied by his son X. In recent weeks Mr Musk has unleashed a flurry of orders aimed at slashing federal spending.

In particular, Mr Musk took aim at the country’s budget deficit, which topped $1.8 trillion in the last fiscal year.

Elon Musk carries his son X on his shoulders while speaking in the Oval Office. Picture; AFP.

He said reducing federal expenses was not optional.

The remarks, however, came as the Trump administration finds itself on a collision course with the US courts, as federal judges questioned the legality of White House cost-cutting measures.

Trump’s sweeping plans, which have effectively shuttered some federal agencies and sent staff home, have sparked legal battles across the country.

Multiple lawsuits seek to halt what opponents characterise as an illegal power grab.

Asked about his conflicts of interest on Tuesday, Musk, who also heads SpaceX – which has multiple US government contracts – and Tesla, said he is seeking to be as transparent as possible.

The DOGE reform team has triggered alarm among critics as well by gaining access through the US Treasury to the personal and financial data of millions in the United States.

AFP