Georgia uncovers $600m money laundering scheme spanning two years
Georgian authorities are currently investigating more than 624 million U.S. dollars and 35 million euros which were laundered through an elaborate cri...
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.
AnewZ has learned that India has once again blocked Azerbaijan’s application for full membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, while Pakistan’s recent decision to consider diplomatic relations with Armenia has been coordinated with Baku as part of Azerbaijan’s peace agenda.
A day of mourning has been declared in Portugal to pay respect to victims who lost their lives in the Lisbon Funicular crash which happened on Wednesday evening.
A Polish Air Force pilot was killed on Thursday when an F-16 fighter jet crashed during a training flight ahead of the 2025 Radom International Air Show.
At least eight people have died and more than 90 others were injured following a catastrophic gas tanker explosion on a major highway in Mexico City’s Iztapalapa district on Wednesday, authorities confirmed.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Wednesday that Moscow was ready to deepen discussions with the U.S. on energy cooperation, including on the Sakhalin 1 project, RIA reported.
Russia's violation of Polish and Romanian airspace is part of a long-running trend of boundary-testing and sabotage by President Vladimir Putin, said German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Wednesday.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is likely to visit South Korea in October for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said on Wednesday ahead of talks in Beijing.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres reaffirmed on Tuesday that a two-state solution is the only viable path to settle the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 17th of September, 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