President Donald Trump has drawn a line regarding Elon Musk’s influence over federal workforce reductions, attempting to ease the tensions caused by sweeping job cuts that have sparked lawsuits, political backlash, and uncertainty among government employees.
During a Cabinet meeting on Thursday, Trump made it clear that final decisions on staffing and agency changes would rest with the respective department heads, not Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). While the president praised Musk’s efforts in reducing government waste, he also emphasized that Cabinet secretaries should have the final say on who stays and who goes within their departments.
The decision comes after weeks of mounting frustration from both Democratic and Republican lawmakers over the rapid pace of federal job cuts. Thousands of government workers have been laid off in recent weeks as part of Musk’s aggressive efforts to streamline federal agencies.
While Trump has long supported reducing bureaucracy, the scale and speed of these firings have led to legal challenges and political pushback. Some Republican lawmakers have expressed concerns that the drastic measures could hurt the party politically, with town hall meetings across the country seeing a surge of voter anger over the layoffs.
During the meeting, Trump sought to balance two conflicting goals—reducing government inefficiency while ensuring that capable employees remain in their roles. He reiterated that department heads would be allowed to make staffing decisions based on their own evaluations, though Musk and DOGE would still play a role in identifying inefficiencies. However, Trump also left the door open for Musk to intervene if department leaders failed to implement sufficient cuts. “If they can cut, it’s better. If they don’t cut, then Elon will do the cutting,” Trump said.
Musk, who has been attending Trump’s Cabinet meetings as an advisor, has been leading the charge in finding ways to reduce federal spending. His role in DOGE has been controversial, as the department has made aggressive moves to shrink the workforce, eliminate redundant positions, and shut down entire government offices.
Many federal employees were caught off guard by sudden mass firings, with some only realizing they were let go when they lost access to their government email accounts. Critics argue that these layoffs have been rushed and chaotic, with little regard for the impact on public services.
The backlash has not been limited to government employees. Lawmakers, including some in Trump’s own party, have raised concerns that Musk’s approach has been too aggressive.
Several Republican senators privately voiced their frustrations to White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, arguing that DOGE’s actions were being carried out with little transparency and could damage the party’s standing with voters. In response, Senator Rick Scott of Florida organized a closed-door meeting between Musk and Senate Republicans to address their concerns. House Republicans also met with Musk, where he defended the cuts as necessary to eliminate wasteful spending.
The chaos surrounding the workforce reductions has led to legal challenges, with some terminations being contested in court.
A federal judge and the chair of a federal civil service board have both raised questions about whether the firings violated civil service laws, as many of the terminated employees were not let go for performance-related reasons. Some of these lawsuits could take months or even years to resolve, creating further uncertainty for affected workers.
Despite the pushback, Trump has continued to defend Musk’s involvement in the government, calling DOGE’s work “amazing” and emphasizing that reducing waste is a key priority for his administration.
However, Thursday’s meeting marked the first time Trump publicly clarified Musk’s role, making it clear that the billionaire entrepreneur would serve as an advisor rather than having the authority to directly fire government employees. The move was seen as an attempt to reassure both lawmakers and the public that staffing decisions would be handled with more care moving forward.
Musk himself appeared to acknowledge that DOGE may have overstepped in some instances. According to sources familiar with the meeting, he admitted to Cabinet members that some mistakes had been made in the execution of the cuts. While he defended the broader effort to streamline government operations, he signaled a willingness to adjust the approach based on feedback from department leaders and lawmakers.
Following the meeting, Trump took to his social media platform, Truth Social, to further clarify his stance. He stated that while government downsizing was necessary, it should be done in a way that preserves the most skilled and productive workers. “As the Secretaries learn about, and understand, the people working for the various Departments, they can be very precise as to who will remain, and who will go. We say the ‘scalpel’ rather than the ‘hatchet,’” Trump wrote. He also promised to hold similar meetings every two weeks to ensure that staffing reductions were being handled appropriately.
The shift in Trump’s messaging suggests that the administration is trying to regain control of the narrative surrounding the workforce cuts.
While Trump remains committed to reducing the size of the federal government, the backlash from voters and lawmakers has made it clear that the process needs to be more measured. By emphasizing that department heads—not Musk—will have the final say, Trump is likely hoping to calm concerns and prevent further political damage.
Still, the president left no doubt that Musk will continue to play a central role in reshaping the government. Even as he limited Musk’s direct authority, Trump made it clear that DOGE would continue to monitor agency spending and push for reductions where necessary. “The combination of them, Elon, DOGE, and other great people will be able to do things at a historic level,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
While some see Trump’s comments as an attempt to rein in Musk, others believe it is merely a strategic recalibration rather than a real shift in policy. Musk’s influence within the administration remains strong, and his role in DOGE ensures that he will continue to have a hand in shaping government operations.
For now, the focus has shifted to how Cabinet secretaries will respond to Trump’s directive, and whether they will take a more measured approach to workforce reductions or continue to implement aggressive cuts under Musk’s guidance.
The controversy surrounding DOGE’s actions is far from over. With lawsuits pending, public outcry growing, and congressional scrutiny intensifying, the administration faces ongoing pressure to clarify its approach to government downsizing. Trump’s move to limit Musk’s authority may be an attempt to ease tensions, but whether it will be enough to satisfy lawmakers and the public remains to be seen.
