Dems zero in on Musk wanting to cut Social Security, Medicare waste, White House responds
White House argued Musk, DOGE targeting 'waste and fraud in entitlement spending'
Elon Musk takes viewers behind-the-scenes at DOGE: ‘We follow the money’
Tesla, SpaceX founder and CEO and Department of Government Efficiency advisor Elon Musk on the alleged X cyberattack, spending 'fraud' targeted by DOGE and how the newly-minted office operates in a wide-ranging interview on 'Kudlow.'
Democrats provoked a response from the White House on Monday after arguing that Elon Musk, who is advising President Donald Trump, wants to cut Social Security and Medicare.
Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg was among the Democrats who homed in on Musk’s remarks about targeting fraud in federal benefit programs that the billionaire made during an exclusive interview with FOX Business' Larry Kudlow on Monday.
"There were howls of protest and denial from the GOP any time we pointed out that Republicans want to cut Social Security," the former Biden administration official said in a post on X. "Now the most powerful official in the White House goes on TV and calls it ‘the big one to eliminate.’"
The White House responded in a post on X, saying that Musk specified going after fraud in entitlement spending.
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White House Senior Advisor Elon Musk walks to the White House after landing in Marine One on the South Lawn with U.S. President Donald Trump. (Photo by Samuel Corum/Getty Images / Getty Images)
"Pete Buttigieg is Ivy League educated and allegedly smart. So can he not hear Elon say ‘waste and fraud in entitlement spending’ or is he lying to you?" wrote Alex Pfeiffer, deputy assistant to the president and principal deputy communications director.
Musk, who is leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under Trump, drew the ire of Democrats when he described federal benefit programs as rife with fraud and suggested they would be a primary target to slash government spending during Monday’s interview.
"Most of the federal spending is entitlements," Musk said, suggesting that $500 billion to $700 billion in waste needed to be cut. "That’s the big one to eliminate."
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Other Democrats took issue with Musk’s responses and argued the Tesla and SpaceX CEO wants to cut Social Security and Medicare.
"Musk said the quiet part out loud: he’s going after your Social Security and Medicare. Period," Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., wrote on X. "Mark my words. They will make you pay in every part of your life."
Democrat podcast host Brian Tyler Cohen wrote, "Elon Musk just said he wants to cut Social Security and Medicare, calling them ‘entitlements’: ‘That’s the big one to eliminate.’"
The White House Rapid Response team also countered Democrats and media reporting on Musk's responses, saying that Musk was "clearly talking about the WASTE in the programs."
"Lying hacks. He was talking about waste, fraud, and abuse — of which there is $500+ billion every year," the account posted on X.
The billionaire entrepreneur pushed back against those who have criticized DOGE over its access to federal systems, including the Treasury Department's payment system, as well as moves to cancel federal contracts and make cuts at various agencies.
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"What we're adding here is caring and competence," he said. "There's a massive amount of fraud of, basically, people submitting Social Security numbers for Social Security benefits, unemployment, Small Business Administration loans and medical care. We're trying to put a stop to all of that."
Fox Business’ Kristen Altus contributed to this report.