Elon Musk Advocates for Cutting Federal Agencies at Dubai Summit

Elon Musk called for the deletion of several federal agencies during his remarks at the World Governments Summit in Dubai. His comments underscored a push for a more efficient government aligned with Trump’s administration priorities. Musk also addressed U.S. foreign policy, expressed concerns over artificial intelligence’s role in diversity initiatives, and announced plans for a new underground transportation project in Dubai.

Elon Musk stirred the pot during the World Governments Summit in Dubai, recommending that the United States should “delete entire agencies” from its federal structure. This idea, which fits in with his ongoing agenda to slash spending drastically, was pitched via a video call he made from the summit. It’s quite a statement, especially with the backdrop of the Trump administration’s overall priorities.

Musk, clad in a black T-shirt that humorously labeled him as “Tech Support,” voiced that the current bureaucracy overshadows democracy. “We really have here rule of the bureaucracy as opposed to rule of the people — democracy,” he remarked, while also playfully claiming he was the White House’s tech support, a nod to his ownership of the social platform X.

Addressing the need to remove entrenched structures, Musk mentioned, “If we don’t remove the roots of the weed, then it’s easy for the weed to grow back.” His comments come at a time when he’s reportedly solidified control over significant areas of the government, thanks to the backing from Trump since he took the reins of the new Department of Government Efficiency. This shift has raised eyebrows, particularly with Musk now having access to sensitive information and sidelining career officials in governmental structures.

His remarks during the summit also touched on U.S. foreign policy, particularly regarding the Middle East, where American involvement has been contentious since the 9/11 attacks. He expressed a more isolationist view, suggesting that the Trump administration is moving away from meddling in other countries’ affairs.

Musk pointed out that while agencies like USAID and the National Endowment for Democracy exist, their effectiveness is questionable. “How much democracy have they achieved lately?” he challenged during his speech. Reflecting on U.S. engagement in international politics, he insisted that the country should be “minding its own business rather than push for regime change all over the place.”

He also ventured into the complexities of diversity and artificial intelligence, sounding off concerns about AI potentially being harnessed for social agendas like diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). He hinted at a dark consequence, saying that a DEI-emphasizing AI could, hypothetically, eliminate those it deemed too powerful — a provocative take, to be sure.

On the AI front, Musk announced plans for the imminent release of Grok 3, X’s upgraded AI chatbot, which he described as being “kind of scary”. He recently attempted a hefty takeover of OpenAI, aiming $97.4 billion towards it, criticizing the organization’s shift from a nonprofit model to a profit-driven one, which he compared to a nonprofit trying to save the Amazon rainforest turning into a lumber company.

Musk didn’t just stop there; he disclosed sweeping aspirations for a “Dubai Loop” project related to his Boring Company ventures. This ambitious proposal aims for a 17-kilometer underground transit network equipped with 11 stations, supposedly capable of moving over 20,000 passengers an hour. Dubai’s crown prince confirmed that they would be collaborating on this futuristic transport system, though they didn’t reveal any financial particulars.

With a flourish, Musk likened the transportation system to a “wormhole,” promising a speedy transport experience where one could traverse the city in the blink of an eye. There’s no denying it — his visions are audacious, and they seem to ignite conversations wherever he goes.

Original Source: www.pbs.org