U.S. Rep. Robert Garcia of Long Beach took aim at billionaire Elon Musk’s role as head of the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) during a subcommittee hearing Wednesday morning.
Garcia, a Democrat, referenced committee chair Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s displaying sexually explicit pictures of Hunter Biden in 2023 when he introduced what he called a “D— Pic.”
The photo was of Tesla and SpaceX owner Elon Musk, whom Garcia referred to as “President Elon Musk.”
Garcia accused Musk of orchestrating a power grab through DOGE.
The department was established with the goal of reducing government waste and improving operational efficiency. Its early targets include the Education and Labor departments and the National Institutes of Health.
Critics argue that DOGE’s approach could undermine essential public services.
In his presentation, Garcia quoted Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” to criticize Trump and Musk. Addressing reports of teenage DOGE “staffers,” Garcia quipped, “They’re trying to rob you … and they’re probably a minor.”
Rep. William Timmons (R-South Carolina) criticized Democrats following Garcia’s remarks while justifying the Trump administration’s recent spending cuts.
“It’s disheartening that my colleagues across the aisle don’t take this seriously. We have $36 trillion in debt,” Timmons stated. “We run an annual deficit of nearly $2 trillion.”
This hearing was the first under the new Delivering on Government Efficiency subcommittee, which focuses on improper payments and fraud.
The Hill contributed to this report.
