According to reports by U.S. media outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, even U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed doubt about whether Elon Musk, an American entrepreneur, can really cut $1 trillion in federal spending.

According to a report published by the newspaper on May 30, sources within the U.S. government revealed that during a conversation with his advisors, Trump asked: "Is this all just hot air?" regarding Musk's plan to lead the "Department of Government Efficiency" (DOGE) in cutting federal expenditures.

The report quoted sources as saying that this reflects Trump and his senior aides' skepticism and frustration with Musk's work for the government. Despite this, Trump still maintains a favorable opinion of Musk. They had dinner together last week, and Trump plans to meet him again in the future. On May 30 local time, Trump specifically asked his assistants to arrange a friendly farewell ceremony at the White House, where he and Musk praised each other. According to White House staff, Trump described Musk to his assistants as "half genius, half childish," and another assistant heard Trump call Musk "ninety percent genius, ten percent childish." According to White House officials, they occasionally have dinner together at Trump's club for long, aimless conversations, but Musk's eccentric sense of humor sometimes confuses Trump.

Musk posted on X on May 28, saying that his term as a "special government employee" had ended. The report noted that although Trump knew Musk would eventually leave, it was not until Musk posted on X that Trump learned the exact time. The Wall Street Journal reported that Musk once invested nearly $300 million to help Trump get elected president and return to the White House; Trump granted Musk unprecedented power to oversee the vast federal bureaucracy and promised him the ability to reshape the U.S. government.

Musk's supporters believe that this billionaire has promoted comprehensive reforms, including cutting U.S. government foreign aid and large-scale layoffs. However, the results fell far short of expectations. Musk previously promised to cut $1 trillion, but according to statistics from the "Department of Government Efficiency," federal spending was only reduced by $170 billion, and even this figure is subject to much skepticism.

The report also mentioned that Musk's financial support has weakened. He invested more than $288 million in Trump's 2024 presidential campaign, and this year he promised to donate another $100 million to organizations controlled by Trump's team before the 2026 midterm elections, but as of last week, the funds had yet to be delivered.

The plunge in Tesla's sales, one of Musk's companies, was also a reason for his departure. The electric vehicle manufacturer reported a 71% drop in first-quarter net profit. The report noted that Musk privately said: "I must alleviate the pressure on myself and my company." However, Trump emphasized publicly that Musk was not completely leaving: "Elon won't really leave; he'll come and go frequently."

Source: Global Times

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