Elon Musk to meet US lawmakers on budget cuts as head of new efficiency department

Elon Musk will meet with U.S. lawmakers on Thursday to discuss significant budget cuts as the head of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency, a position appointed by Donald Trump. This meeting follows Trump's election victory, which Musk and his ally Vivek Ramaswamy claim mandates sweeping changes. Musk and Ramaswamy plan to propose cuts to federal spending, staff reductions, and regulatory changes. They aim to operate as an advisory body rather than a traditional government agency, emphasizing their entrepreneurial approach to reform. While targeting various government programs, they are not expected to propose cuts to welfare programs like Social Security. Defense spending reductions are also unlikely due to congressional resistance. Musk's role raises concerns about potential conflicts of interest with his business interests.