Tech billionaire
Elon Musk urged the United States to "delete entire agencies" as part of a broader effort under US President Donald Trump to cut government spending and reshape its priorities. Speaking via video call at the World Governments Summit in Dubai on Thursday, Musk delivered a sweeping address touching on bureaucracy, artificial intelligence, and US foreign policy.
"We really have here rule of the bureaucracy as opposed to rule of the people — democracy," Musk said, dressed in a black T-shirt that read "Tech Support." Jokingly referring to himself as the White House's "tech support," he called for eliminating entire government agencies, warning against merely scaling them back.
"If we don't remove the roots of the weed, then it's easy for the weed to grow back," Musk said, reinforcing his call for a fundamental restructuring of government institutions.
Musk's growing influence in WashingtonMusk's appearance at the summit comes at a time when he has solidified his influence in Washington, particularly within the Department of government efficiency, where he has sidelined career officials and gained access to sensitive federal databases. His growing role in the Trump administration adds weight to his remarks beyond his well-known status as the world's richest person, with stakes in SpaceX, Tesla, and the social media platform X.
His comments also reflected the administration's shift toward a more isolationist foreign policy, particularly in the Middle East. Addressing the UAE audience, Musk backed Trump's decision to dismantle the US agency for international development (USAID) and questioned the effectiveness of the national endowment for Democracy.
"A lot of attention has been on USAID, for example," Musk said. "There's like the national endowment for Democracy. But I'm like, 'Okay, well, how much democracy have they achieved lately?'"
He emphasised the administration's reduced interest in global interventions, remarking, "The United States has been kind of pushy in international affairs, which may resonate with some members of the audience."
AI, DEI, and a new "Dubai Loop"
Musk also touched on the Trump administration's efforts to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, drawing a controversial link between DEI and artificial intelligence. "If hypothetically, AI is designed for DEI, you know, diversity at all costs, it could decide that there’s too many men in power and execute them," Musk said.
On AI development, Musk revealed that X's AI chatbot, Grok 3, would be ready in about two weeks, describing it as "kind of scary." He also took aim at OpenAI, the artificial intelligence company he co-founded but later split from, after recently leading a $97.4 billion takeover bid. Musk criticised OpenAI's leadership, comparing it to an environmental nonprofit transforming into a logging company.
In a nod to his infrastructure ambitions, Musk announced a new "Dubai Loop" project in line with his work at The Boring Company, which has been developing underground transportation systems in Las Vegas. "It's going to be like a wormhole," he said. "You just wormhole from one part of the city — boom — and you’re out in another part of the city."
Although details about the Dubai Loop are limited, Musk’s remarks highlight his ongoing influence in shaping both US domestic policy and global technological aspirations. As his presence in Washington grows, his ideas on government efficiency, AI, and infrastructure are set to leave a lasting mark.