Jonathan Swan

But to be fair to Musk, there are billions upon billions of dollars in improper payments that go out. There was a government accountability office estimate that the government made something like $236 billion in improper payments during the 2023 fiscal year. Most of those were overpayments. This is to different people around the country, social security, what have you.

That's a lot of money, to be clear. It's a lot of money. And there is potential for cost savings here. But I mean, the federal deficit for 2024 was almost $2 trillion. So Musk is of the view that the government is spending vast amounts of money that is wasteful, that is fraudulent. And in his sort of platonic ideal, his engineers would just be able to cut off these payments that are going out and

That's a lot of money, to be clear. It's a lot of money. And there is potential for cost savings here. But I mean, the federal deficit for 2024 was almost $2 trillion. So Musk is of the view that the government is spending vast amounts of money that is wasteful, that is fraudulent. And in his sort of platonic ideal, his engineers would just be able to cut off these payments that are going out and

And the question then is, okay, well, what then? Because this is money appropriated by Congress, and it's not actually up to Elon Musk to unilaterally with his team direct what payments go out and what payments stay in.

And the question then is, okay, well, what then? Because this is money appropriated by Congress, and it's not actually up to Elon Musk to unilaterally with his team direct what payments go out and what payments stay in.

Yeah, and I don't need to editorialize or speak in my own words on this. I mean, just listen to the people involved in this. You know, Russell Vogt, who served in Trump's first administration, and he's his choice again to lead the Office of Management and Budget.

Yeah, and I don't need to editorialize or speak in my own words on this. I mean, just listen to the people involved in this. You know, Russell Vogt, who served in Trump's first administration, and he's his choice again to lead the Office of Management and Budget.

He said in a 2023 speech, talking about the plans for their coming back into power, he said, we want the bureaucrats to be traumatically affected. Wow. He said, when they wake up in the morning, we want them not to go into work because they are increasingly viewed as the villains. He's a very close ally with Elon Musk. And Musk himself has the same mindset.

He said in a 2023 speech, talking about the plans for their coming back into power, he said, we want the bureaucrats to be traumatically affected. Wow. He said, when they wake up in the morning, we want them not to go into work because they are increasingly viewed as the villains. He's a very close ally with Elon Musk. And Musk himself has the same mindset.

I mean, it's very revealing the language he's using. He said very few in the bureaucracy actually work the weekend. So it's like the opposing team just leaves the field for two days. So you see the mindset. We are coming in and now fully empowered by the president of the United States with the attitude of.

I mean, it's very revealing the language he's using. He said very few in the bureaucracy actually work the weekend. So it's like the opposing team just leaves the field for two days. So you see the mindset. We are coming in and now fully empowered by the president of the United States with the attitude of.

This is a government full of incompetent people, full of people who don't do any work, who are lazy, don't work the weekends. And we are coming in here with the sort of bureaucratic version of a bazooka. And he's even talked about eliminating entire agencies.

This is a government full of incompetent people, full of people who don't do any work, who are lazy, don't work the weekends. And we are coming in here with the sort of bureaucratic version of a bazooka. And he's even talked about eliminating entire agencies.

Well, he has turned his attention very aggressively towards the US Agency for International Development, which is known as USAID. This is the agency that is charged with delivering humanitarian assistance overseas. to some of the most vulnerable people around the world, you know, nutritional assistance for children, designed to help promote stability and humanitarianism.

Well, he has turned his attention very aggressively towards the US Agency for International Development, which is known as USAID. This is the agency that is charged with delivering humanitarian assistance overseas. to some of the most vulnerable people around the world, you know, nutritional assistance for children, designed to help promote stability and humanitarianism.

And we've seen now a pretty stunning series of events. A week ago, members of Musk's team entered the headquarters of USAID. They demanded and were granted access to the agency's financial and personnel systems.

And we've seen now a pretty stunning series of events. A week ago, members of Musk's team entered the headquarters of USAID. They demanded and were granted access to the agency's financial and personnel systems.

During that period, an acting administrator at the agency put about 60 senior officials on paid leave and issued stop work orders that led to the firing of hundreds of contractors with full-time employment and health benefits. By Saturday, the agency's website vanished. Like, literally just disappeared, went dark.

During that period, an acting administrator at the agency put about 60 senior officials on paid leave and issued stop work orders that led to the firing of hundreds of contractors with full-time employment and health benefits. By Saturday, the agency's website vanished. Like, literally just disappeared, went dark.

And when the top two security directors at USAID tried to stop members of the Musk team from entering a secure area to get classified files, they were placed on administrative leave. Katie Miller, who works on the Musk Initiative, said on X that no classified material was accessed without proper security clearances. But by Monday, USAID was effectively paralysed. And...