Former President Trump has justified Elon Musk’s initiative to deactivate portions of the U.S. government amid legal disputes, transparency issues, and concerns over conflicts of interest.
“He’s not profiting in any way. In fact, I question how he manages to allocate time for it,” Trump remarked on Sunday.
Democrats have alleged that Musk is personally benefiting from certain modifications that the Trump administration is striving to implement, including the proposed dissolution of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
Trump stated that Musk’s informal Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) would soon scrutinize expenditures within the military and the Department of Education, potentially within the next “24 hours.”
“Let’s audit the military,” he declared. “We’re going to uncover billions—hundreds of billions—of dollars in fraud and misuse, and that’s what people elected me to address.”
Earlier on Sunday, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth informed Fox News that he “welcomes” Doge’s investigation into military expenditures.
“When funds are spent, we must understand their allocation and rationale, and that level of transparency has been absent within the defense department,” he stated.
Trump’s remarks about Musk and Doge were made during an interview with Fox News journalist Bret Baier as part of a pre-game broadcast leading up to Sunday’s Super Bowl.
During the discussion, the president also expressed dissatisfaction with Mexico and Canada regarding their actions on illegal drug trafficking and border security.
Additionally, he reiterated his seriousness about the proposal to incorporate Canada as the 51st U.S. state—an idea strongly opposed by the vast majority of Canadians.
Legal Disputes Over Doge
Doge personnel have entered multiple governmental agencies since Trump’s inauguration and have been at the forefront of efforts to dismantle USAID.
Recently, Doge representatives were reportedly observed at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)—an entity established to safeguard consumers following the 2007-08 financial downturn.
CFPB employees at the bureau’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., have been instructed to work remotely for at least a week, according to an internal email reviewed by BBC News.
However, Trump’s adversaries have filed lawsuits to obstruct some of these actions, challenging numerous executive directives issued by the president.
On Saturday, a federal judge prohibited Doge from accessing the personal financial records of millions of Americans held by the Treasury Department.
U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer directed Musk and his team to immediately destroy any copies of such data.
The Trump administration has yet to respond to inquiries regarding Doge’s operations, funding, or workforce size.
Courts have also temporarily halted Trump’s directive to abolish birthright citizenship, his initiative to place thousands of USAID employees on indefinite leave, and a broad-scale buyout proposal for federal workers.
Republican leaders, including Vice President JD Vance, criticized Engelmayer’s ruling. Vance contended that the injunction was unlawful, posting on X: “Judges do not have the authority to obstruct the executive’s legitimate jurisdiction.”
Trump adviser Alina Habba told Fox News on Sunday that there would be “consequences for individuals” attempting to “stand in Trump’s way.”
Meanwhile, Democrats intensified their condemnation of Musk and Trump. However, with Republicans controlling both the White House and Congress, their influence remains largely restricted to legal battles.
“Our judicial system is functioning as intended,” Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar commented on CBS’s Face the Nation. “What isn’t working is the executive branch’s conduct.”
Democratic Senator Chris Murphy asserted that Musk “stands to benefit from the dismantling of USAID.”
“This move significantly weakens America’s global security while favoring China,” Murphy told ABC News. “Elon Musk has substantial business interests in Beijing.”
Murphy described the Trump administration’s actions as “the gravest constitutional crisis” since Watergate.
“The president is attempting to consolidate power for corrupt purposes,” he claimed.
Trump Predicts Super Bowl Winner
Trump’s interview reinstated a tradition that dates back nearly two decades. The presidential pre-game interview had been absent from the Super Bowl coverage for the past two years, as former President Joe Biden declined to participate.
Trump himself refused to speak with NBC in 2018. This year, he becomes the first sitting U.S. president to attend the game in person.
Fox News anchor Baier questioned Trump about how his second presidency differs from his initial term in 2017.
“I faced enormous resistance last time, but I didn’t know the key players, and I lacked the support I needed,” Trump reflected. “I was a New Yorker, not a Washington insider.”
When pressed about Canada, Trump argued that trade deficits justified annexation.
“I believe Canada would be significantly better off as our 51st state because we lose $200 billion annually in trade with them. And I won’t allow that to continue. It’s too much,” he stated. “But if they were our 51st state, I wouldn’t mind.”
Administration officials previously clarified that the $200 billion figure includes both defense expenditures and the U.S. trade deficit.
Asked whether Canada and Mexico had met the conditions that led to prior tariff threats, Trump replied: “No, it’s still insufficient. Something must change—it’s unsustainable.”
The president also commended both Super Bowl teams but ultimately predicted Kansas City would claim the championship.
