‘Sounds Like a Yes’: CNN Anchor Grills Top Trump Budget Official On Revoking Elon Musk’s Contracts
CNN anchor Kate Bolduan pressed Trump’s Director of the Office of Management and Budget, Russell Vought, on Friday on whether or not the administration would really cancel Elon Musk’s government contracts amid the ongoing feud between the president and the Tesla billionaire.
“One of the things that the president said in the midst of this back and forth with Musk is that the ‘best way to save money in the budget is to terminate Elon’s governmental subsidies and contracts.’ Is that under serious consideration?” asked Bolduan.
“Look, you know, we recognize that Elon benefits from, and his companies benefit from taxpayer dollars, right? I think there’s just a reflection of that and the reality of that as you assess a bill and assess a bill as big as this one—there’s a lot of moving parts. And I think that tweet is a reflection of that reality and, you know, we are aware of the interest that Elon’s various companies have. And we are trying to put together the best bill for the American people as we possibly can,” Vought replied.
“It sounds like a yes,” Bolduan pressed.
“No, I didn’t say—I said, what I said was that it is a recognition as we explain to the American people the realities of people’s interests with regard to assessing, is a bill good for the country or bad for the country, and the president was stating the reality that the businesses of Elon Musk benefit and work in tandem with the federal government and the American people need to know that,” Vought responded.
“Absolutely. I mean, just take the one contract, SpaceX—I mean, is a $152 billion contract with SpaceX from NASA worthwhile government spending?” followed up Bolduan.
“Again, the reality of the ways that Elon has constructed his businesses, Kate, is that he has contracts with federal government, federal agencies, and it’s a point to the American people in the midst of a very complicated back and forth legislative process that as we have outside parties now, outside of the federal government who are opposing for various reasons the bill,” Vought replied, adding:
It is a point the administration will continue to make—these contracts and relationships with federal agencies are present, these policy provisions in law are present, and that is something that the American people should factor in when they assess where people are given the back and forth and who’s opposed and who is supportive of a bill that we believe is historic, will help reduce the deficit, will balance the budget over time and lead to a host of important reforms.
Watch above via CNN.
