Elon Musk drops federal jobs bombshell at the White House – with his son on his shoulders

Elon Musk, head of President Trump's new Government Efficiency Department (DOGE), appeared at the White House Tuesday with his 4-year-old son perched on his shoulders, defending controversial plans for extensive federal workforce reductions.

Wearing a "Make America Great Again" hat in the Oval Office, Musk, who also leads Tesla and SpaceX, stood alongside President Trump as the administration unveiled an executive order mandating significant staffing cuts across federal agencies.

The order's most striking provision requires agencies to hire just one new employee for every four who depart, though it carves out exceptions for national security, public safety, and law enforcement positions.

Trump praised Musk's efforts in uncovering what he termed "shocking waste" in government spending. The President's executive order substantially expands both Musk's authority and that of the DOGE department, despite growing criticism of placing such unprecedented power in the hands of an unelected official.

"The federal bureaucracy has become an unconstitutional fourth branch of government," Musk argued, while acknowledging potential missteps in his department's approach. "Some of the things I say will be wrong and need to be corrected. No one can be perfect," he told reporters, pledging swift corrections when necessary.

The sweeping reforms have sparked significant concern among federal workers. Labor representatives warn that the aggressive downsizing could severely impact essential government services and create widespread job insecurity across the federal workforce.

Musk's appointment as Trump's senior advisor and subsequent leadership of DOGE marks an unusual transition from private sector tech executive to federal reform architect. His presence in the Oval Office with his young son created a striking image that dominated news coverage of the announcement.

Critics argue that the 1:4 hiring restriction could lead to dangerous understaffing in critical government functions, while supporters maintain that streamlining federal operations is long overdue.

[Originally reported in Kikar HaShabbat by Yossi Nachtigal]