First on FOX: Elon Musk met with dozens of GOP senators for lunch at Capitol on Wednesday. There, we shared an update on the progress of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which is actively auditing the federal government to significantly reduce waste.
Musk told about 40 senators present that Doge’s efforts were saving about $4 million a day, a room source told Fox News Digital.
The discussion took place during a weekly lunch hosted by Sen. R-FL, chairman of the Republican Senate Executive Committee.
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Elon Musk met with almost every Senate Republican at Capitol on Wednesday. (Getty Images)
Tesla and SpaceX CEOs joked that they don’t need to be detectives like “Sherlock Holmes” to find waste, fraud and abuse in the government. In fact, he said it was much easier than one person could achieve, the source added.
In response to a question from Senator Katie Britt on government funding for private universities, Musk said, “Kim Jong Un has a lot to learn from elite universities.”
When Musk answered another question, Republicans fell into applause, and sources told them they should “frankly remove” the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
NEPA has long been opposed by many Republicans as climate advocacy groups can challenge infrastructure and energy projects in court and delay them.
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Elon Musk met with members of the White House Senate de Caucus. (Getty Images)
The law has already significantly delayed projects through extensive environmental research requirements, which could take years.
The NEPA disposal will be a victory, especially for Republicans who want to develop and process energy faster from US sources.
Musk’s comments on NEPA answered a question from Senator Dan Sullivan of R-Ak.
Musk kindly spoke to federal workers during the meeting as Doge took heat from Democrats for a dramatic federal restructuring, sources shared.
The X owner, who was recently appointed as a special government employee in the Trump administration, said he is helping many federal workers identify fraud and waste.
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The Capitol is seen lit up in the morning sun. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc.)
According to Musk, employees want to actually help government find waste.
Some of the people who were absent from the luncheon were R-NC, Lisa Murkovsky, R-Ak, and Bill Cassidy, and Tom Tillissen of R-LA. There is a weekly lunch in the Senate, and it is common for senators to miss them from time to time.
R-ME Sen. Susan Collins was also not present as he joined the Republican Research Committee (RSC) for lunch in the House of Representatives.
Representatives from the White House, Doge and Cassidy did not immediately provide comment to Fox News Digital.
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A Tillis spokesman told Fox News Digital: “Senator Tillis had a previously scheduled meeting, which prevented him from attending.”
Murkowski was ill and missed a hearing Wednesday morning at the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (help). Her office said she came to the office late in the afternoon for markup for the Senate Committee on India Affairs (SCIA), which she chairs.
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The Musk Senate Conference takes place less than a week after members of the Chamber of Commerce’s Doge Caucus traveled to the White House to meet the billionaires.
Julia Johnson is a political writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business and is a major reporter in the US Senate. She was previously a political reporter for the Washington Examiner.
Follow Julia’s report on X @juliaajohnson_ Submit your tip to julia.johnson@fox.com.
