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President-elect Trump told TIME he might veto congressional spending bills that don’t align with cost-cutting proposals from Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy. This potential threat could pressure lawmakers to seriously consider their recommendations.
In a TIME interview, the former and future President downplayed potential conflicts of interest for Musk, whose companies have received, and are projected to receive, billions in federal contracts. Musk’s significant role in Trump’s plans raises concerns about impartiality for many.
However, Trump dismissed these concerns.
“I think that Elon puts the country long before his company,” Trump stated. “He considers this to be his most important project, and he wanted to do it. And, you know, I think, I think he’s one of the very few people that would have the credibility to do it, but he puts the country before, and I’ve seen it, before he puts his company.”
Musk’s SpaceX controls NASA launch schedules, and the Defense Department has awarded SpaceX over $3 billion in contracts. Last year, SpaceX and Tesla worked with 17 federal agencies—all potentially subject to Trump’s proposed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) review.
When questioned about conflicting priorities, Trump reaffirmed his support for Musk, a major campaign contributor.
“Look, we have a country that is bloated with rules, regulations and with, frankly, people that are unnecessary to do. We are going to need a lot of people in a lot of other jobs. We’re looking to get people into private sector jobs where they can do better and be more productive,” Trump said. “We’re going to see what happens. But this country is bloated.”
Congress controls the budget, a challenge for all presidents. When asked about vetoing spending plans deviating from the Musk-Ramaswamy proposals, Trump said he’d consider it and might act unilaterally.
“There are many things you can do without Congress,” Trump said.
Ramaswamy previously advocated for executive action, offering a framework for achieving it. Musk has also publicly supported leaner government. Trump has focused on broad goals, leaving details to others.
For example, Trump aims for a “virtual closure” of the Department of Education, maintaining a minimal staff for core subjects and delegating responsibilities to states. He projects halving per-student spending while improving outcomes. (TIME’s Solcyré Burga provides a detailed analysis of Trump’s education plan.)
“A lot of these states … are well-run states,” Trump says, citing Iowa and Indiana, which exceed national averages according to the Nation’s Report Card.
This data-driven approach has prompted criticism from Democrats, who fear the Musk-Ramaswamy plan could serve an ideological agenda. The pair recently met with Capitol Hill lawmakers to promote their plan, which relies on Trump’s support. The history of large-scale budget cuts, however, suggests challenges in implementation.
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