At President Donald Trump's invitation, Elon Musk defended the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) on Tuesday, speaking at length from the Oval Office in response to the pushback the initiative has received.
"The people voted for major government reform and that's what the people are going to get," Musk said, according to The Hill. "That's what democracy is all about."
The tech mogul also said he wants to place "commonsense controls" on government, and argued that his ideas are not "draconian."
Musk appeared unconcerned about the perception of personal conflicts of interest, responding that "transparency is what builds trust" when asked about dueling loyalties.
The first few weeks of Trump's second presidency have been marked by a slew of lawsuits and pushback from Democrat lawmakers and unions as Musk has led an expansive effort to dismantle federal agencies and pare down the federal workforce through employee buy outs.
Tuesday's appearance reportedly featured invited press who had gathered to hear the world's richest man defend his objectives next to, and at the invitation of, the leader of the free world. Sporting a black "Make America Great Again" baseball cap, Musk said that federal bureaucracy cannot wield more power than any elected representative. One of Musk's young children joined him in the Oval Office, reportedly tugging on his coat at times.
On Tuesday, Trump said it was "crazy" that DOGE had been able to root out so much "fraud" and "waste" in the federal government, claiming he never thought auditors would "find this much."
DOGE has been blocked from the Treasury Department's payment systems by a federal judge's Saturday ruling that denies access to political appointees and special government employees like Musk.
Having already targeted several federal agencies, including the United States Agency for International Development and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, DOGE has now set its sights on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
The court clarified the ruling on Tuesday, saying it does not apply to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
During his appearance with Musk, Trump accused the judge of having "certain leanings," adding that he hopes the courts will allow him to deliver what voters elected him to do.
"It seems hard to believe that judges want to stop us," the president said. "It seems hard to believe that a judge could say we don't want you to do that. Then we have to look at the judges because I think it's a very serious violation."