U.S. President Donald Trump said he expects Elon Musk to uncover hundreds of billions of dollars in fraud and waste at the Pentagon during an audit led by the billionaire.
"I'm going to tell him very soon, like maybe in 24 hours, to go check the Department of Education. ... Then I'm going to go, go to the military. Let's check the military," Trump said in a Super Bowl interview with Fox News' Bret Baier. “We're going to find billions, hundreds of billions of dollars of fraud and abuse.”
The Pentagon’s budget is approaching $1 trillion annually. In December, then-President Joe Biden signed a bill authorizing $895 billion in defense spending for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30.
Musk’s Role and Controversy
The White House has designated Musk as a special government employee, tasking him with leading an initiative to reduce the size of the U.S. federal workforce. As part of this effort, Musk’s aides have reportedly sought access to confidential government data, raising legal and security concerns.
Critics argue that Musk’s involvement could risk exposing classified information and gutting federal agencies without congressional approval. Additionally, Musk’s companies hold major defense contracts, leading to concerns over potential conflicts of interest.
Targeting Pentagon Inefficiencies
National Security Adviser Mike Waltz highlighted shipbuilding as an area needing scrutiny, citing delays and cost overruns. “Everything there seems to cost too much, take too long, and deliver too little to the soldiers,” Waltz said on NBC’s ‘Meet the Press’.
“We need business leaders to go in and reform the Pentagon's acquisition process,” Waltz added, pointing to waste and inefficiencies in military spending.
While leaders from both parties have long criticized waste at the Pentagon, Democrats and civil service unions argue that Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency lacks expertise to implement meaningful reforms without jeopardizing classified programs.
With Musk’s expanding role in government oversight, scrutiny over his influence and defense contracts is expected to intensify.
Tensions are rising in the South Caucasus after a reported strike near Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan exclave, fuelling fears that instability linke...
Iran and Israel continue to exchange missile and drone strikes across the Middle East - all the latest updates throughout the day on AnewZ...
Tensions in the region remained high on Tuesday (10 March), as the United States and Iran exchanged increasingly sharp warnings, including thr...
Iran and the U.S. exchanged threats on Tuesday, as U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned Tehran to expect the&nb...
Up to 30 tonnes of food will be delivered to Iran amidst ongoing hostilities with U.S. and Israel, following a phone converstation between the ...
U.S. President Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke by phone on Sunday as tensions between Washington and Westminster deepened over the conflict involving Iran. The call came less than a day after Trump criticised Britain’s response to U.S. strikes on Iranian targets.
Officials in Azerbaijan have said they have stopped terror attacks in Azerbaijan including on an Israeli Embassy, the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline and a Synagogue. Tensions between regional and global powers escalate. Military activity, security alerts and travel disruptions continue.
Newly released FBI records summarising interviews with an unidentified woman contain allegations that U.S. President Donald Trump attempted to force her to perform a sexual act when she was a teenager, according to documents published by the U.S. Justice Department.
Türkiye has said it is “closely monitoring” the movements of the so-called Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK) following U.S. calls for local Kurdish militias to join the ongoing regional conflict against Iran.
Tensions in the region remained high on Tuesday (10 March), as the United States and Iran exchanged increasingly sharp warnings, including threats over the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for global oil supplies.
China has urged Afghanistan and Pakistan to resolve their dispute through dialogue after Chinese envoy Yue Xiaoyong met Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, as fighting between the two neighbours entered its eleventh day.
Entry and exit across the state border between Azerbaijan and Iran for all types of cargo vehicles, including those in transit, will resume on 9 March, according to a statement by the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan.
Iranian civilian and military officials have pledged their obedience to the new leader, Ayatollah Seyed Mojtaba Khamenei, with President Masoud Pezeshkian saying his leadership “will herald a new era of dignity and authority for the Iranian nation.”.
Kazakhstan has evacuated more than 7,300 citizens from the Middle East since regional tensions escalated, using both air and land routes to bring nationals home while closely monitoring political developments and potential economic effects linked to rising oil prices.
Iran and Israel continue to exchange missile and drone strikes across the Middle East - all the latest updates throughout the day on AnewZ
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz, has addressed the U.N. Security Council, saying the world must consider how effective its engagement with the Taliban-run country is as millions face hunger.
British MPs have rejected a proposal to introduce an Australia-style ban on social media for under-16s, opting instead to give ministers flexible powers to impose restrictions on platforms.
Australia has granted humanitarian visas to five Iranian women footballers who sought asylum, fearing persecution after refusing to sing their national anthem at an Asia Cup match.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 10th of March, covering the latest developments you need to know.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment