Trump lavished praise on Elon Musk, the billionaire who he has tasked with overhauling the federal government and work force. Democrats tried to verbally fact check the president by shouting “false” at some of his assertions of success.
Musk, seated in the gallery above, stood when Republicans applauded him. Democrats held signs that said “Musk steals.”
The president said that Musk has found “hundreds of billions of dollars of fraud,” vastly overstating his team’s accomplishments. For example, many canceled contracts were already fully paid, meaning the government received no savings.
He was dressed more formally than usual, wearing a dark suit with a blue tie rather than a black t-shirt that says “tech support.”
Musk has vast influence as a presidential adviser, leading Trump’s efforts to overhaul and downsize the federal government. Thousands of workers have been laid off, with many more expected to follow.
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