Washington
Cnn
–
A week after Elon Musk held courts in front of the cameras during the first meeting of President Donald Trump’s cabinet, many of the leaders confirmed by the Senate of Government and Agency departments returned to the cabinet room on Thursday for another kind of discussion.
During a 90-minute meeting, this time, without any camera-trump, a clear message like Musk, one of the most influential members of his administration, sat down close.
The president told his agency his leaders that while Musk’s attempt to reduce the size and expenses of the federal government have their full support, they are those, not Musk, who are responsible for staff in their respective agencies.
“Keep all the people you want, all you need,” Trump told his cabinet as he confessed to reporters later in the Oval Office.
“I want them to do the best job they can,” the president continued. “Where we have good people, that’s precious. That’s very important, and we want them to keep good people.”
The meeting on Thursday, which Trump said would be repeated every two weeks, was among the first examples of the president acting to restore Musk’s broad powers. Instead of a proverbial electric saw, which Musk held during a high profile layout last month, Trump said the administration would have a “scalpel” to make the cuts forward.
Musk is still expected to make recommendations for agency cuts. And Trump made it clear that if his department leaders were not making enough landing, the billionaire of technology would intervene.
“We will look at them, and Elon and the group will look at them, and if they can cut, it’s better,” Trump said. “And if they don’t cut, then Elon will make the cut.”
But after all, Trump told his team, it is the members of the cabinet confirmed by the Senate who have the last word.
A White House official described the meeting as a check after Trump’s address in Congress, where he put forward the work that his administration has done over the past six weeks. In addition to the Government Efficiency Department, the assistants said, the cabinet also gave national security issues and key advantages. At least six cabinet members were not present, with many traveling outside of Washington this week for official duties.
But it was Trump’s directive for the cuts that were going forward that appeared next and provided the biggest explanations so far in the dynamics of Trump’s second term power. The staff has been one of the biggest concerns for agency presidents, some of whom complained last week that their departments were underestimated, according to a person acquainted with what happened at the first cabinet meeting after reporters left the room.
“Very productive meeting,” Musk posted on X, responding to photos of the White House posted on social media that showed images of closed -door meeting. After wearing a black hat and blouse at the first cabinet meeting, Musk wore a suit and tied on Thursday.
Senate majority leader John Thune sent an incomprehensible signal this week that cabinet members should take the direction in making decisions to get to work and fire at their agencies, saying CNN: They will get better with individual programs. ”
Over the past few weeks, quiet quarrels have come out of the upper agencies as they opposed Musk’s efforts to reshape the federal government.
After Musk issued a directive for all federal employees to confess their work weeks or endangering, some agency executives advised their work forces to ignore the request until they could resolve the request.
Later, a second request was sent by email – this time by individual agencies, providing more control departments on their staff.
The closed -door meeting on Thursday, which was not included in the public president’s daily schedule, also remained fierce contrasting with Marquee moment earlier this week when Mush rose to his room in the room and was constantly praised by Trump during his address at a common congress session.
While the richest man in the world was applauded by Republicans at that moment of the first time, he has also worked more and more behind the scenes to try and soften the approximate ends of some of the most controversial decisions by his government efficiency department.
For weeks, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles has paid a great deal of attention to a growing wave of criticism and complaints about Music and business leaders. Wiles has a cordial and business relationship with Musk, people familiar with their dynamic word, and he accepted her suggestion to extend his hand and be more available to Congress members.
Wiles came out of the first cabinet meeting last week a little early-a pre-planned exit, long after Musk was finished speaking-to take part in a lunch with the Senate Republicans. She heard reactions, admitted how she understood some of their anxieties and explained the nuts and bolts of the president and Musk.
“Musk is working directly with the president and the president then works with cabinet secretaries,” Wiles said, according to an account by Senator Josh Hawley, a republican of Missouri who was at lunch.
Some in attendance said they wanted to learn more and hear directly from Musk. A day later, 22 Republican senators came to the Eisenhower office executive building adjacent to the White House to meet Musk. They heard as Musk explained the cuts he was making and posed for a photo with him after the meeting.
Republican Sen. Mike South Dakota rounds called Musk to better explain how DOGE would fix the mistakes they make.
“In many cases where they are making considerable cuts, how can we make sure that message is returned and corrected as soon as possible?” Rounds said.
He said Wiles “offered to be contact when she was ahead of us”, but noted “she is just one person”, so an official process was needed.
This week, Musk, which has also become one of the biggest political beneficiaries for the Republicans, held in back-to-back meetings with members of the room and Senate on Wednesday.
He distanced himself and his team from fires spread across the federal government and blamed departments leaders, GOP lawmakers said.
“He just said they trusted the departments, you know, instead of using a cudgel to use a scalpel to get rid of people who are unproductive,” said Rep. Derrick van ORDEN, a Republican of Wisconsin. “That’s the whole issue.”
For each question senator, Musk offered his personal mobile phone number. But a few hours later, as he spoke to the home members, he asked them to consult on the Dome website.
“How can I take care of you? He said he has a website about this, “CNN told Carlos Gimenez, a Republican in Florida.” No, he did not give us his number. ”
This story has been updated with additional details.