Trump says wanted to hire ‘somebody smarter’ than Musk to lead DOGE as WH reveals Tesla CEO doesn't have authority to…

Donald Trump revealed in his latest interview that he wanted to hire somebody “smarter” than Elon Musk to lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Published on: Feb 19, 2025, 16:40:05 IST

By Shweta Kukreti

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Donald Trump revealed in his latest interview that he wanted to hire somebody “smarter” than Elon Musk to lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). He, however, was unsuccessful in his attempt.

Trump and Musk appeared for a joint interview on Fox News' Sean Hannity. The President revealed what drew him to the world's wealthiest man. “You know, I wanted to find somebody smarter than him,” he disclosed.

“I searched all over. I just couldn’t do it,” Trump continued.

Stressing that he tried very hard and failed to find anyone smarter, he jokingly said, “We settled on this guy.”

White House says DOGE has no statutory power to terminate employees

Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated Tuesday that Musk's DOGE is not legally able to terminate employees.

Speaking to CNN, she noted that DOGE just serves as an advisor and “it's ultimately up to the discretion of these secretaries to make these hirings and firings.”

In a recent lawsuit, several Democratic state attorneys general accused Musk of using his “seemingly limitless and unchecked power to strip the government of its workforce and eliminate entire departments with the stroke of a pen.”

Musk and a group of youthful DOGE hires, including a 19-year-old recent high school graduate, have obtained access to extremely confidential data belonging to millions of Americans at the Treasury Department.

Also Read: DOGE declares $4.7 trillion in federal payments 'almost untraceable', sparks public outcry and memes; ‘Gone like a puff’

Judge dismisses bid to block Musk and DOGE from firing federal workers

Democratic-led states sought to temporarily prevent Musk and DOGE from terminating federal employees and gaining access to private data at seven government agencies, including the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Education. However, Federal Judge Tanya Chutkan rejected their request on Tuesday.

In addition, DOGE employees have been implanted within the Treasury Department, where they recently battled with Michelle King, the former acting commissioner of the Social Security Administration who resigned over the weekend.

Trump has directed Musk's group of “super geniuses” to investigate the Pentagon's budget as well.

According to DOGE, its varied measures have saved taxpayers $55 billion so far.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shweta Kukreti
Shweta Kukreti has over 8 years of experience in covering Indian and world politics. She joined the Hindustan Times in 2024 and is primarily assigned to the US desk. She currently works as Deputy Chief Content Producer and reports on a wide range of topics, including US politics, immigration issues (especially H-1B visa) and major global events. Shweta strongly emphasizes team operations, which encompasses monitoring news, delegating tasks, editing, developing comprehensive coverage strategies, and crafting engaging, and data-informed narratives. She received the Digi Star Award at the Hindustan Times within a year of joining for her broad coverage of US politics. In 2025, she earned both a promotion and a redesignation, a significant achievement recognising her contributions and the strong value she brings to the team. She has previously worked with the Indian Express, HTDS, ANI and Republic World. Seniors in all the media organisations recognised her work. Regarding education, she earned a BA (Hons.) in Political Science and a master's degree from Delhi University, and she pursued a PG Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institution of Mass Communication (IIMC). She also holds a diploma in Women's Empowerment and Development from IGNOU University and a French certification course from Alliance Française de Delhi. If not working, you can find her exploring the hills and engaging in adventurous activities in Rishikesh and Himachal Pradesh. She loves to play badminton, volleyball, and chess, and spend time with her friends and family. She also enjoys spiritual activities.Read More

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