Elon Musk addressed a group of House Republicans on Wednesday night, defending his actions and acknowledging that he “can’t bat a thousand all the time,” according to four individuals who were in attendance. Despite recognizing his mistakes, Musk assured the lawmakers that he would make efforts to correct them, particularly amid the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) aggressive approach to tackling waste, fraud, and abuse in federal agencies.
Musk’s meeting with the House GOP comes after increasing concern from some Republicans on Capitol Hill regarding DOGE’s methods. These lawmakers have voiced their concerns over the rapid pace at which Musk and his team have acted to freeze funding, eliminate programs, and lay off federal workers. This swift action has resulted in significant disruptions, causing the administration to reverse some decisions.
According to the four individuals present at the meeting, the overall tone was positive, and Musk was warmly welcomed. However, one of them noted there was some “blame-shifting.” Musk explained that although he initially instructed federal agencies to make cuts, DOGE officials felt those agencies sometimes chose the wrong areas to cut, prompting the administration to intervene and adjust. In response to complaints from town hall meetings, Musk told Republicans that if their constituents have concerns, they should bring them directly to him.
Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) shared that Musk admitted to making mistakes but expressed his commitment to correcting them, adding, “He said he’s making mistakes. He’ll correct them, but his mission is to uncover where our tax money is. Let the chips fall where they may.”
Musk also told lawmakers that it would ultimately be up to Congress to decide what spending should be reduced. “He said, ‘Look, I’m gonna get the information to you. Y’all decide.’ He’s doing this because he does not want to see America go down,” Norman explained.
Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) said that after the meeting, it was clear that Musk was open to the idea of adjusting plans when they weren’t perfectly executed. Johnson noted that Musk seems willing to revisit decisions and “figure out how to adjust fire” when necessary.
A lawmaker, who spoke on condition of anonymity, revealed that while Republicans are hesitant to criticize Musk publicly, many are engaging with the White House to discuss ways to improve DOGE’s approach.
Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.) expressed hope for continued direct dialogue with Musk, saying he’d like to see regular meetings to address any concerns related to DOGE’s activities. “Those mistakes can be rectified,” Bilirakis said. “Every time we meet with constituents, we want to make sure that if they question any of these moves that he makes, we want to make sure that we get the information to him.”
Rep. Kat Cammack (R-Fla.) echoed the sentiments of Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), who had met with Musk earlier in the day, urging Congress to take the lead in codifying the cuts that Musk has proposed. “I feel very much that if we’re going to do this the right way, Congress has to take the lead,” Cammack said.
When asked about the possibility of Congress holding a vote on his extensive cuts across the executive branch, Musk responded, “Well, they do have a vote.”
The meeting took place as House GOP leaders are attempting to rally support for a funding plan that would maintain current spending levels until the end of September in order to avoid a government shutdown after March 14, while delaying any permanent measures to codify DOGE’s cuts. Speaker Mike Johnson is working to bring hard-liners on board by promising to collaborate with the conference to codify DOGE cuts at a later date. He had previously indicated that a significant portion of his meeting with Musk would focus on determining which DOGE freezes could be incorporated into government funding bills for the upcoming fiscal year.
After the meeting, Johnson reiterated that he was open to discussing a legislative package to formalize DOGE’s cuts, though not immediately. “And if there are savings and things that relate to [fiscal year 2025] and we have already passed the CR, then yes, of course you will have rescissions,” Johnson said, noting that any specific cuts would be worked out in collaboration with the Trump administration.
{Matzav.com}