Trump repeatedly talked about his desire to close the Education Department, which he alleged “indoctrinate(s) America’s youth with all sorts of things," on the campaign trail.

Musk believes some $1 billion per week is being spent on fraudulent Treasury payments, prompting Trump to ask if this could help national debt.

Trump has directed Elon Musk to carry out a comprehensive audit of the Pentagon, aiming to expose billions of dollars in fraud and misuse. With an annual budget nearing $1 trillion, the Pentagon is a major target for potential cost-cutting.