Elon Musk delivered a sweeping critique of federal bureaucracy Tuesday during an Oval Office press conference, accompanied by his four-year-old son who stole the show as his tech billionaire father outlined plans to slash wasteful government spending.
“If the bureaucracy is in charge, then what meaning does democracy actually have?” Musk asked reporters while his son X played nearby.
“If the people can’t vote and have their will be decided by their elected representatives in the form of a president and the Senate and the House, then we don’t live in a democracy. We live in a bureaucracy.”
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) chief highlighted recent findings, including $881 million in cuts to the Department of Education and the discovery of suspicious Social Security payments.
“We’ve got people in there that are 150 years old,” Musk said. “Now, do you know anyone that is 150? I don’t, okay.”
“They should be in the Guinness Book of World Records. They’re missing out,” he continued. “So, you know that’s a case where I think they’re probably dead, or they should be very famous. One of the two.”
Elon Musk on people over 150-years-old receiving Social Security:
"I think they're probably dead, is my guess, or they should be very famous, one of the two."
🤣🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/ATwT1VkH7A
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) February 11, 2025
Musk, wearing all black with a matching MAGA hat, raised questions about the massive wealth some career bureaucrats and politicians have managed to build while in office.
“We do find it sort of odd that, you know, there are quite a few people in the bureaucracy who have ostensibly a salary of a few hundred thousand dollars but somehow managed to accrue tens of millions of dollars in net worth while they are in that position,” Musk pointed out.
President Donald Trump expressed confidence in Musk’s efforts, telling reporters, “We don’t want an unsuccessful guy doing this.”
.@elonmusk: "We find it sort of rather odd that there are quite a few people in the bureaucracy who have a salary of a few hundred thousand dollars but somehow manage to accrue tens of millions of dollars in net worth while they are in that position… We're just curious as to… pic.twitter.com/IewBAi91u6
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) February 11, 2025
The meeting revealed new executive orders aimed at reducing federal workforce, requiring agencies to hire only one employee for every four departures.
When asked about media critics of DOGE’s aggressive approach, Musk joked about receiving a “daily proctology exam” from oversight bodies.
Education Department cuts include termination of 169 contracts, though spokesperson Madison Biedermann noted core functions remain intact.
“The action will not affect the institute’s primary work, including the NAEP assessment and the College Scorecard,” she said.
Throughout the 30-minute press conference, Musk’s son stole the show — and the internet ate it up. He nuzzled his father’s hair, played on the floor of the Oval Office, and even picked his nose while sporting a knee-length camel jacket and gold chain.
Cuteness overload!
Elon Musk is talking about how he's going to cut the deficit in half and his son X is whispering to President Trump and picking his nose.
Little boys will be boys! It's nice to see beautiful young families back inside the White House! pic.twitter.com/OTJz4VrO6o
— Brigitte Gabriel (@ACTBrigitte) February 11, 2025