Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy meet with Republicans to discuss federal spending cuts

Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy met with congressional Republicans to discuss reducing federal spending and regulations. This marks their first in-person meetings since being appointed by President-elect Donald Trump to advise on budget reforms through a new commission. Musk and Ramaswamy aim to provide recommendations by July 2026, focusing on potential cuts to programs like Social Security and tax credits for electric vehicles. Their discussions included ideas for regulatory relief and budget efficiency, but specifics were not disclosed. Some Democrats have shown interest in collaborating on spending cuts, while skepticism remains about the effectiveness of this new initiative. Critics highlight past failures in similar efforts and question whether significant changes can be achieved without addressing popular government programs.