By Charles Switzer
11:34am PST, Feb 19, 2025
Trump Jokes About Searching for Someone 'Smarter' Than Musk
During a recent interview with
Sean Hannity, President
Donald Trump made a tongue-in-cheek remark about his decision to appoint
Elon Musk to lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Trump humorously claimed that he had searched extensively for someone "smarter" than Musk to head the cost-cutting task force but ultimately came up short.
"You know, I wanted to find somebody smarter than him," the president said. "I searched all over. I just couldn't do it. I couldn't. I really tried hard. I couldn't find anyone smarter." The president then turned toward Musk and quipped, "We settled on this guy."
Musk, seemingly caught off guard, responded modestly: "Well, thanks for having me, I'm just trying to be useful."
Here are three takeaways from the Hannity-led sit-down.
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A Mutual Admiration Between Trump and Musk
The interview quickly took on a complimentary tone, with both men expressing admiration for one another.
"I love the president," Musk declared, adding that he has "spent a lot of time with the president, and not once have I seen him do something that was mean or cruel or wrong. Not once."
Trump, in turn, praised Musk as a "leader" and a "great person."
He elaborated on his reasoning for
choosing the billionaire to lead DOGE, citing Musk's business acumen and competitive spirit. "I wanted great people. And he's a great person. He's an amazing person. He's also a caring person," Trump said. "He's a good person, a very good person, and he wants the country to do well."
Addressing Potential Conflicts of Interest
Despite the effusive praise, Trump made a point to clarify that Musk would not be involved in DOGE-related decisions where conflicts of interest could arise.
"If there's a conflict, he won't be involved," Trump stated. "I mean, I wouldn't want that, and he wouldn't want it." The assertion appears to be an attempt to allay concerns about Musk's dual role as both a government adviser and a high-profile entrepreneur with business interests that could be affected by federal cost-cutting measures.
White House Claims Musk Has No Formal Government Authority
Trump's praise for Musk comes in stark contrast to recent White House statements that downplay Musk's role in DOGE. In a court filing on Monday, February 17, the administration claimed that Musk is "not even part of DOGE at all."
According to
Joshua Fisher, Director of the White House Office of Administration, "Mr. Musk is a senior adviser to the president" but has "no actual or formal authority to make government decisions himself."
Fisher further stated that Musk "is not an employee of the U.S. DOGE Service or U.S. DOGE Service Temporary Organization" and "is not the U.S. DOGE Service Administrator."
The discrepancy between Trump's public statements and the administration's legal filings raises questions about Musk's true
level of influence within the government.
