Washington, Feb 09 (V7N) – US President Donald Trump announced that Elon Musk will play a key role in exposing what he claims to be "hundreds of billions of dollars in corruption" within various US government agencies.

In an interview broadcast on Sunday, Trump stated that Americans had elected him to curb wasteful government spending, and Musk, the billionaire CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, would be "a great help" in achieving that goal, AFP reported.

"We will find hundreds of billions of dollars in corruption and abuse," Trump said during the interview. "The people elected me to do this."

Just three weeks into his second term, Trump has initiated a series of executive orders aimed at reducing government expenditures. As part of these efforts, he has created the Department of Government Efficiency (DoGE), appointing Musk to lead the newly established department.

Musk has already begun taking bold actions, including the closure of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). This move has led to thousands of job losses, though a court order has temporarily halted further layoffs.

According to Trump, Musk’s next objectives will include cutting spending in the Department of Education and conducting a comprehensive review of expenditures within the defense sector.

The announcement has sparked mixed reactions, with critics raising concerns over potential job losses and the privatization of key government functions, while supporters praise the initiative as a necessary step to reduce government waste.

Neither Musk nor his representatives have commented publicly on these developments.

END/RH/AJ