Elon Musk wears ‘tech support’ t-shirt, calls for US to ‘delete entire agencies’ from federal government | World News

Elon Musk spoke at the World Governments Summit in Dubai on Thursday, calling for the United States to “delete entire agencies” as part of efforts to cut spending and change priorities under President Donald Trump. Musk, who leads the US government’s department of government efficiency (DOGE), appeared via video call wearing a black T-shirt that read “Tech Support.” He joked that he was the “White House’s tech support,” referring to his profile on X, the social platform he owns.
“We really have here rule of the bureaucracy as opposed to rule of the people — democracy,” Musk said.
He argued that reducing government agencies was necessary, saying, “If we don’t remove the roots of the weed, then it’s easy for the weed to grow back.”
Musk’s role in the Trump administration gives weight to his comments. Since taking over the department of government efficiency, he has sidelined career officials, gained access to sensitive databases, and challenged the limits of presidential authority.
He also discussed a shift in US foreign policy, pointing to the Trump administration’s actions on the US Agency for International Development (USAID). “A lot of attention has been on USAID, for example,” he said, questioning the effectiveness of organizations like the National Endowment for Democracy. “But I’m like, ‘Okay, well, how much democracy have they achieved lately?’”
Musk said the Trump administration is “less interested in interfering with the affairs of other countries.” Speaking to the audience in the UAE, he said, “Basically, America should mind its own business, rather than push for regime change all over the place.”
He also connected the administration’s focus on eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts to artificial intelligence. “If hypothetically, AI is designed for DEI, you know, diversity at all costs, it could decide that there’s too many men in power and execute them,” Musk said.
On AI, Musk said X’s updated chatbot, Grok 3, would be ready in about two weeks, calling it “kind of scary.” He also criticized Sam Altman’s leadership at OpenAI, comparing it to a nonprofit for saving the Amazon rainforest turning into “a lumber company that chops down the trees.” Musk recently led a $97.4 billion bid for OpenAI but said he would withdraw if it moves forward with plans to become a for-profit company.
Musk also announced plans for a “Dubai Loop” project, similar to his work with The Boring Company in Las Vegas. Dubai’s crown prince, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, later said the city-state and The Boring Company would explore a 17-kilometer underground network with 11 stations.
Describing the planned system, Musk said, “It’s going to be like a wormhole. You just wormhole from one part of the city — boom — and you’re out in another part of the city.”