Tesla CEO Elon Musk has once again expressed his interest in collaborating with the Trump administration, this time proposing the creation of a government ‘efficiency’ committee.
Musk envisions this committee as a way to streamline regulations and reduce wasteful government spending. He believes that such a committee would create significant growth and opportunity by removing unnecessary laws and regulations.
The idea for this committee was first discussed by Musk in an interview with Trump on Tuesday. Musk emphasized that the committee’s primary purpose would be to ensure taxpayer money is spent wisely. He expressed his willingness to be a part of this initiative, a proposal met with positive feedback from Trump.
This isn’t the first time Musk has expressed interest in working with the Trump administration. Earlier this month, he revealed to Lex Fridman in a podcast that he’d already discussed the concept of an efficiency committee with Trump. Musk further elaborated, describing the accumulation of regulations as akin to ‘hardening of the arteries’ or being ‘tied down by a million little strings’ – hindering progress. He argued for a ‘garbage collection’ system for regulations to prevent them from accumulating and hindering key projects, such as building high-speed rail in the US.
However, Musk acknowledges that such a committee would face significant resistance, stating, ‘You’re attacking the matrix at that point. The matrix will fight back.’
Musk’s endorsement of Trump in July came despite Trump’s previous calls to eliminate subsidies for electric vehicles. Notably, Musk stated that while the elimination of subsidies would have a minor impact on Tesla, it could be devastating for its competitors. He believes that eliminating subsidies could ultimately benefit Tesla in the long run.
During the interview, Trump praised Tesla’s products, calling them ‘incredible.’ However, he also reiterated his opposition to full electrification of the automobile industry, suggesting that not everyone needs to switch to electric vehicles.
It remains to be seen how this proposal will be received by the broader political landscape and whether the efficiency committee will actually come to fruition if Trump returns to the White House.
