Elon Musk defends US government involvement

Elon Musk defended his cost -saving plans and refused to lead a “hostile takeover” of the US government in a surprise first appearance in the White House on Tuesday.

The world’s richest man took questions from journalists for the first time since President Donald Trump, who is tasked with cutting the federal government, took office last month.

Trump later signed an order that gave Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), more authority to cut the size of the federal workforce.

The agency has been criticized by Democrats who have accused it of a lack of transparency, and its efforts have also been hampered by several legal challenges in recent weeks.