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A2 U.S. NEWS
Saturday 31 May 2025

Trump gives Elon Musk an Oval Office sendoff, crediting him with

‘colossal change’

By CHRIS MEGERIAN punch me in the face,” he
Associated Press said. “And he did.”
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- Trump said Musk had led
dent Donald Trump bid the “most sweeping and
farewell to Elon Musk in the consequential government
Oval Office on Friday, pro- reform effort in genera-
viding a cordial conclusion tions.” He suggested that
to a tumultuous tenure for Musk is “really not leaving”
the billionaire entrepreneur. and “he’s going to be back
Musk is leaving his position and forth” to keep tabs on
spearheading the Depart- what’s happening in the
ment of Government Effi- administration.
ciency, and he’ll be reded- There were signs, however,
icating himself to running that attention was already
his businesses, including shifting away from Musk,
electric automaker Tesla, who once appeared om-
rocket company SpaceX nipresent in Washington.
and social media platform He often stood quietly next
X. to Trump as reporters pep-
Trump credited Musk with pered him with questions
“a colossal change in the about the French president
old ways of doing business (he’s great), Joe Biden’s
in Washington” and said autopen (it’s bad) and the
some of his staff would re- President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference with Elon Musk in the Oval Office of potential for pardoning
main in the administration. the White House, Friday, May 30, 2025, in Washington. Sean “Diddy” Combs (he’ll
Musk, who wore all black, Associated Press look at the facts).
including a T-shirt that said ployees who were fired or of USAID’s programs on only $150 billion in the cur- When Musk was asked
“The Dogefather,” nod- pushed out. Some govern- HIV, known as PEPFAR, re- rent fiscal year. about the impact of tariffs
ded along as the president ment functions were evis- mained operational. How- It’s unclear whether that on Tesla something Musk
listed contracts that had cerated, such as the U.S. ever, the statement did not target has been hit. The has expressed concerns
been cut under his watch. Agency for International address any of the other DOGE website tallies $175 about in the past Trump
“I think the DOGE team is Development, which had cuts while calling on “other billion in savings, but its in- jumped in to answer.
doing an incredible job,” provided a lifeline for im- nations to dramatically in- formation has been riddled Musk, the world’s richest
Musk said after accepting poverished people around crease their humanitarian with errors and embellish- person, recently said he
a ceremonial key from the the world. Boston University efforts.” ments. would reduce his political
president. “They’re going researchers estimate that Despite the upheaval, Musk had a bruise next to donations. He was Trump’s
to continue to be doing an hundreds of thousands of Musk also fell far short of his right eye in the Oval Of- top donor in last year’s
incredible job.” people have already died his goals. After promising to fice, which he explained by presidential campaign.
He left a searing mark on as a result of the cuts. cut $1 trillion or even $2 tril- saying he had been “hors- Trump appeared eager to
the federal bureaucracy, The State Department re- lion in federal spending, he ing around” with his young end Musk’s service on a
including thousands of em- sponded by saying most lowered expectations to son. “I said, go ahead high note.q

U.S. government is investigating messages impersonating Trump’s

chief of staff, Susie Wiles

By MICHELLE L. PRICE government is investigating prominent figures in recent have gained access to the paign” in which uniden-
Associated Press after elected officials, busi- weeks received messages contacts in Wiles’ personal tified “malicious actors”
WASHINGTON (AP) — The ness executives and other from someone imperson- cellphone. The messages have been impersonating
ating Susie Wiles, President and calls were not com- senior U.S. government of-
Donald Trump’s chief of ing from Wiles number, the ficials.
staff. newspaper reported. The scheme, according to
A White House official con- Some of those who re- the FBI, has relied on text
firmed the investigation ceived calls heard a voice messages and AI-gener-
Friday and said the White that sounded like Wiles that ated voice messages that
House takes cybersecurity may have been generated purport to come from a
of its staff seriously. The of- by artificial intelligence, ac- senior U.S. official and that
ficial was not authorized to cording to the report. Some aim to dupe other govern-
discuss the matter publicly received text messages ment officials as well as
and spoke on condition of that they initially thought the victim’s associates and
anonymity. were official White House contacts.
The Wall Street Journal re- requests but some people “Safeguarding our admin-
ported Thursday that sena- reported the messages did istration officials’ ability to
tors, governors, business not sound like Wiles. securely communicate to
leaders and others began The FBI warned in a public accomplish the president’s
White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles listens during a cabinet receiving text messag- service announcement this mission is a top priority,” FBI
meeting at the White House, April 30, 2025, in Washington. es and phone calls from month of a “malicious text Director Kash Patel said in a
Associated Press someone who seemed to and voice messaging cam- statement Friday.q