Trump Clips Elon’s Wings After Backlash From Voters, Fellow Republicans

India-West News Desk

WASHINGTON, DC – President Donald Trump has clarified that final decisions on federal job cuts will rest with Cabinet secretaries, not Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), following growing backlash over aggressive staffing reductions. According to NBC News, Trump made the announcement after a March 6 meeting with Musk, Cabinet members, and other officials, signaling a shift in his administration’s approach to federal workforce downsizing.

Trump stated that while he supports DOGE’s role in identifying inefficiencies, the ultimate authority over hiring and firing decisions will lie with department leaders. “We just had a meeting with most of the Secretaries, Elon, and others, and it was a very positive one,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “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.” He emphasized a strategic approach, saying, “We say the ‘scalpel’ rather than the ‘hatchet.’” NBC News reported that several Republican lawmakers had privately expressed concerns about the impact of widespread job cuts on voter sentiment.

The sweeping reductions initiated by DOGE have sparked lawsuits and pushback from agencies, with multiple department heads resisting Musk’s earlier directive requiring federal employees to justify their roles or face termination. Trump’s latest directive is seen as a rare public limitation on Musk’s authority as he attempts to reshape the federal workforce. NBC News noted that tensions had risen between Musk and Cabinet officials, some of whom bristled at his aggressive approach.

Despite the adjustment, Trump continued to praise Musk and DOGE’s work, telling reporters, “I think they’ve done an amazing job.” However, he also warned that if department heads failed to cut enough positions, “then Elon will do the cutting.” NBC News reported that Musk recently met with Senate Republicans in a closed-door session to address concerns about the potential voter backlash, with some lawmakers urging more transparency in DOGE’s actions.

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