(NewsNation) — Bill O’Reilly tells NewsNation he doesn’t fear any uprising led by Elon Musk, as he believes the Tesla billionaire doesn’t actually “have any power” in the administration.
“I’m not worried that he’s going to do a coup d’état,” O’Reilly said. “I’m not worried because he doesn’t have any power. He can’t subpoena anybody. He’s just is an adviser.”
“He presents to Trump,” O’Reilly added. “Trump does what he wants.”
Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, has been active since President Donald Trump took office and signed an executive order creating the organization just more than two weeks ago. After Musk vowed to cut $2 trillion from federal government spending, the tech billionaire has come under fire from Democrats questioning Musk’s authority to act.
Its investigations — most notably into the U.S. Agency for International Development — have drawn ire from protestors and politicians alike who fear he has too much influence and power for an unelected official.
“Think this is just a hyped-up story. Doesn’t mean very much. I’m happy if Elon Musk uncovers wasteful spending,” O’Reilly said.
Elon Musk’s role
DOGE has been controversial from the start. Though it is not an agency or a Cabinet-level position, it has been treated similarly.
Because it is not an agency, Musk has not had to go through a Senate confirmation hearing that would typically be required for someone at that level of power.
The White House has classified Musk as a special government employee with a limited contract, which means he is exempt from certain regulations regarding financial disclosure and transparency.
NewsNation’s Steph Whiteside and Jeff Arnold contributed to this report.
