Republican presidential nominee, former President Donald Trump, on Thursday threw his weight behind the creation of a government efficiency commission to be headed by billionaire Elon Musk. The commission would seek to eliminate waste in the federal government.
Trump made the announcement at the New York Economic Club during a speech.
The commission would conduct “a complete financial and performance audit of the entire federal government” and make “recommendations for drastic reform,” Trump said on Thursday.
“And Elon, because he’s not very busy, has agreed to head that task force,” Trump added.
Before Trump’s afternoon speech, Musk reiterated his openness to serving on the body on Thursday.
“I look forward to serving America if the opportunity arises,” Musk wrote on X.
During an Aug. 13 interview with Musk, Trump said he would “love” a government efficiency commission, though he stopped short of saying he would establish one if he wins the election.
Musk also said on an Aug. 19 podcast that he’d had conversations with the former president about the matter and that he would be interested in serving on the body.
In an earlier post on X on Sept. 3, Musk said there is “a lot of waste and needless regulations” in government that need to be cut, and he is looking forward to taking on the role.
“I can’t wait,” he wrote.
On the campaign trail, Trump has frequently blamed Democratic nominee Kamala Harris, the vice president, for the rise in prices of everyday goods during President Joe Biden’s term in office.
While headline inflation has slowed in the past two years, many U.S. consumers are still unhappy with the higher prices they have to pay for food, gas, and other goods, according to public opinion polls.
The two prominent figures have continued to deepen their alliance, with Musk increasingly adopting conservative viewpoints and aligning more closely with Trump’s political and economic goals.
Musk Endorses Trump
In July, following an assassination attempt on Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania, Musk openly endorsed Trump for president while wishing him a “rapid recovery.”
Last month, Musk interviewed Trump on X, which reportedly garnered over a billion views within hours of the broadcast.
During their two-hour conversation, Trump praised Musk’s intelligence and business success, while Musk expressed enthusiasm for helping streamline government operations and cut bureaucratic inefficiencies.
Reuters and Mary Man contributed to this report.