‘Remove roots of the weed’: Elon Musk calls to ‘delete’ entire federal agencies

“We really have here rule of the bureaucracy as opposed to rule of the people — democracy,” Musk said, wearing a black T-shirt labeled “Tech Support.” He continued, “I think we do need to delete entire agencies as opposed to leave a lot of them behind. If we don’t remove the roots of the weed, then it’s easy for the weed to grow back.”

His comments come amid a sweeping effort by the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), which Musk leads, to dismantle large portions of the federal workforce. Since Trump’s inauguration on January 20, Doge has aggressively slashed budgets and gutted multiple agencies, including the US Agency for International Development (USAID), which has long been a pillar of American foreign aid and soft power.

On Tuesday, Musk moved to cut nearly $1 billion in US Department of Education contracts, effectively shutting down an independent research body that tracks student achievement. The restructuring efforts have triggered growing concerns within the federal workforce, as agencies brace for mass layoffs.

To speed up the downsizing, Musk introduced a controversial “Fork in the Road” program, offering employees a deferred resignation option with payments through September. However, reports indicate lower-than-expected participation, which could lead to forced terminations.

The program faced legal challenges from federal employee unions, but on Wednesday, US District Judge George O’Toole Jr. ruled that the buyout offers could proceed, dismissing union lawsuits on the grounds that they lacked standing to challenge the program. The ruling paves the way for further workforce reductions, with a new deadline for resignations expected soon.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt welcomed the ruling, calling it proof that “‘lawfare’ will not ultimately prevail over the will of 77 million Americans who supported President Trump and his priorities.”

Beyond agency closures, Musk also hinted at broader changes to US foreign policy, questioning the effectiveness of organisations like the National Endowment for Democracy. He argued that the US should “mind its own business” rather than interfere in the affairs of other nations, a stance that aligns with Trump’s push for a more isolationist approach.

Musk also used the Dubai summit to discuss the risks of artificial intelligence and unveil a potential “Dubai Loop” transit project in partnership with his Boring Company. Despite his wide-ranging remarks, the focus remains on his unprecedented role in reshaping the US government—an experiment that continues to spark fierce debate about its long-term consequences.