Trump tells Cabinet secretaries they make final staff decisions—Elon Musk, DOGE make recommendations

On Thursday, President Donald Trump told Cabinet members they were in charge of their departments, not Elon Musk. The president explained—with Musk in the room—that the DOGE head and his team have been tasked with making recommendations to the departments, but final staffing and policy decisions will be decided by Cabinet executives.

The matter was first reported on by Politico, citing two Trump administration officials. The president's guidance comes as there has been some uncertainty with how much authority DOGE and Musk have. Trump said the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and its staff serve as advisors, while Cabinet members make final agency decisions.
 

"We just had a meeting with most of the Secretaries, Elon, and others, and it was a very positive one. It’s very important that we cut levels down to where they should be, but it’s also important to keep the best and most productive people... The relationships between everybody… pic.twitter.com/nbvR2TYHzV

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 6, 2025