Elon Musk's Radical Plan: Delete Entire Agencies to Streamline U.S. Government

Elon Musk, the world's wealthiest person and CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, has called for the U.S. government to "delete entire agencies" as part of his push to radically cut spending and restructure its priorities under President Donald Trump. Speaking at the World Government Summit in Dubai, Musk offered a wide-ranging survey of the Trump administration's priorities, interspersed with references to "thermonuclear warfare" and the potential dangers of artificial intelligence.

Musk, who has consolidated control over large swaths of the government with Trump's blessing since assuming leadership of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), made his comments while wearing a black T-shirt that read: "Tech Support." He also joked that he was the "White House's tech support," borrowing from his profile on the social platform X, which he owns.

"I think we do need to delete entire agencies as opposed to leave a lot of them behind," Musk said. "If we don’t remove the roots of the weed, then it’s easy for the weed to grow back." Musk's new role has imbued his comments with more weight beyond being the world's wealthiest person through his investments in SpaceX and Tesla.

His remarks also offered a more-isolationist view of American power in the Middle East, where the U.S. has fought wars in both Afghanistan and Iraq since the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. "A lot of attention has been on USAID for example," Musk said, referring to Trump's dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development. "There's like the National Endowment for Democracy. But I’m like, ‘Okay, well, how much democracy have they achieved lately?’"

He added that the U.S. under Trump is "less interested in interfering with the affairs of other countries." There are "times the United States has been kind of pushy in international affairs, which may resonate with some members of the audience," Musk said, speaking to the crowd in the UAE, an autocratically ruled nation of seven sheikhdoms. "Basically, America should mind its own business, rather than push for regime change all over the place," he said.

Musk also noted the Trump administration's focus on eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion work, at one point linking it to AI. "If hypothetically, AI is designed for DEI, you know, diversity at all costs, it could decide that there’s too many men in power and execute them," Musk said.

On AI, Musk said he believed X's newly updated AI chatbot, Grok 3, would be ready in about two weeks, calling it at one point "kind of scary." He criticized Sam Altman's management of OpenAI, which Musk just led a $97.4 billion takeover bid for, describing it as akin to a nonprofit aimed at saving the Amazon rainforest becoming a "lumber company that chops down the trees."

Musk also announced plans for a "Dubai Loop" project in line with his work in the Boring Company — which is digging tunnels in Las Vegas to speed transit. However, he and the Emirati government official speaking with him offered no immediate details of the plan. "It’s going to be like a wormhole," Musk promised. "You just wormhole from one part of the city — boom — and you're out in another part of the city."

Musk's proposal to "delete entire agencies" raises concerns about the potential loss of crucial public services and the impact on the U.S. government's functionality and international influence. It is essential to consider the consequences of such drastic measures and ensure that any changes made to the federal government are well-thought-out and do not negatively impact the public or the U.S.'s role in global affairs.

As an investor, it's crucial to stay informed about the latest developments in government restructuring and their potential impacts on the economy and the stock market. Keep an eye on the agencies and sectors that could be affected by Musk's proposals, and consider how these changes might influence your investment decisions.