Grimes criticises Elon Musk for ‘parading’ son around Oval Office as he denies government takeover
Elon Musk denied claims he was taking over the US government (Getty)
Unelected billionaire Elon Musk has denied he is staging a “hostile takeover” of the US government in an appearance in the Oval office with one of his children, as Trump signed an executive order extending Musk’s control.
The 53-year-old CEO of Tesla and owner of X/Twitter stood in the Oval Office alongside the president and his son, X Æ A-12, during a Tuesday (11 February) press conference to ensure reporters he wants to add “common sense controls” to the Trump administration.
During the conference, Trump signed an executive order allowing the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an agency created for Musk and named after his favourite crypto-currency, to eliminate government agencies if it decides their functions “aren’t required by law.”
Agencies must also reportedly now work alongside DOGE and must hire “no more than one employee for every four employees that depart from federal service” with exceptions for immigration, law enforcement and public safety.”
Asked if the executive order supported accusations that he is orchestrating a “hostile takeover” of the US government, Musk said: “The public voted for major government reform… and they’re going to get what they voted for. And that’s what democracy is all about.
“We have this unelected, fourth unconstitutional branch of government, which is the bureaucracy, which has in a lot of ways, currently more power than any elected representative,” he added.
Musk added that he plans to regulate the government Treasury, saying: “Your tax dollars need to be spent wisely on things that matter to the people … it’s just common sense. It’s not draconian or radical.”
He further attempted to dispel concerns that an unelected billionaire is being given such overreach, saying DOGE is “trying to be as transparent as possible.”
A reporter at the conference showed particular concern over Musk’s recent claim that $50 million of condoms were sent to Gaza in Palestine. The condoms were actually sent to Gaza in Mozambique to help combat the spread of HIV.
Asked whether reporters could trust Musk’s claims, he said: “Some of the things I say will be incorrect and should be corrected.”
Elon Musk ex Grimes criticises him for ‘parading’ son around Oval Office
Elon Musk’s ex-partner Grimes, who is the mother to his son X Æ A-12, responded to clips of the four-year-old standing with Musk and Trump in the Oval Office saying he “should not be in public like this.”
Responding to a post that commented on the child’s presence in the White House, Grimes said: “I did not see this, thank u for alerting me. But I’m glad he was polite. Sigh.”
The artist, whose real name is Claire Elise Boucher, has been urged to address Musk’s behaviour, saying following controversy around Musk’s notorious salute during the inauguration: “I am not him.“
“I will not make a statement every time he does something. I can only send love back into a world that is hurting,” She said in a lengthy response on X/Twitter. “To be clear I could go talk s**t and be on a bunch of magazine covers and be a feminist hero and get clout – but it would serve no purpose. I choose my children’s wellbeing.”
Grimes herself has been heavily criticised by fans for her association with far-right figures, after she followed and reposted several accounts with far-right ties. She was also criticised for attending the wedding of American blogger and Pro-Trump pundit Curtis Yarvin.
How many children does Elon Musk have?
The tech CEO has at least 12 children with three different women, according to multiple news sources – including Today and Page Six.
Elon Musk had six children with his first wife, Justine Wilson, three with Grimes and three with his Neuralink executive Shivon Zilis.
One of the children Musk had with his first wife, Vivian Jenna Wilson, is a transgender woman and has publicly disowned her father due to the comments he has made about her gender identity.
Vivian Jenna Wilson first spoke out in August 2024 after her father publicly commented on her decision to transition in July of that year.
Musk made his feelings on his daughter’s transition clear, in an interview with right-wing pundit Jordan Peterson where he said she had been “killed [by the] woke mind virus,” before adding: “My son is dead.”
Wilson replied on X rival Threads, saying that she looked “pretty good for a dead b**ch”.
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