Musk defends government cuts in surprise White House appearance
Elon Musk defended his cost-cutting plans and denied leading a "hostile takeover" of the US government in a surprise first appearance at the White House on Tuesday.
The world's richest man took questions from reporters for the first time since President Donald Trump, who has tasked him with slashing the federal government, took office last month.
Trump later signed an order giving Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) agency more authority to cut the size of the federal workforce.
The agency has been criticised by Democrats who have accused it of a lack of transparency, and its efforts have also been hampered by multiple legal challenges in recent weeks.
