Convincing his first Trump Cabinet Meeting at the White House on Wednesday, President Donald Trump turned the session into a protracted question-and-answer session spanning more than an hour. Flanked by his cabinet colleagues and billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk—who sported a “tech support” T-shirt—Trump dove into themes ranging from government spending cuts to immigration, the economy, and the current conflict in Ukraine. Covering domestic policy, employment strategies, and international relations, the Trump Cabinet Meeting gave a thorough view of the administration’s future intentions. The comments of the president prepare the ground for what might be a transforming period in American history.
Which Departments Are Resisting Policy Changes?
President Trump answered satisfactorily when asked which government agencies—and thus, which cabinet members—were most opposed to his policy changes.
“So far, I’m happy with all of those choices,” he said.
He did, however, recognize that “some groups are much easier than others,” particularly praising Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Elon Musk—who is not a cabinet member.
Emphasizing the administration’s commitment to lowering government size, Trump commented, “We want to have a balanced budget within a reasonably short period… meaning maybe by next year or maybe the year after.” He stated that the government must become more efficient and cost-effective to guarantee public monies are utilized appropriately. The push to cut spending aligns with the administration’s broader agenda to streamline federal agencies and reduce bureaucracy.
How Is Elon Musk's Role Influencing the Administration?
President Trump openly and often applauded the work of Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has been entrusted with lowering government spending and the federal workforce.
Addressing any conjecture about friction between Musk and the rest of his team, Trump stated, “They have a lot of respect for Elon and that he’s doing this, and some disagree a little bit. For the most part, though, I believe everyone is not only happy but also thrilled.”
None of the cabinet members raised any issues when invited to voice them. Musk defended DOGE’s goal, characterizing it as a “support function” for government agencies aiming at fraud eradication.
He admitted to past mistakes, such as the accidental cancellation of Ebola prevention efforts, but assured, “When we make mistakes we’ll fix it very quickly.”
Musk’s attendance at the Trump Cabinet Meeting underlined his increasing impact on government policy. Among legislators, his opinions on technological integration inside the federal framework and efficiency have become popular. While some detractors claim that Musk’s forceful approach might cause conflict inside conventional bureaucratic systems, the government seems dedicated to his vision.
What Measures Are Being Taken Regarding Federal Employees?
The president responded to Musk’s email to federal workers asking them to name five completed tasks from the past week or risk termination.
Trump said the cabinet is “very much behind” this endeavor.
He claimed, without evidence, that some of the approximately one million government workers who haven’t responded to the email might “not exist.”
“Maybe they’re going to be gone,” he added.
“We’re trying to find out who those non-responsive persons are. We’re being a little more surgical in situations where people are doing classified stuff.”
Trump pushed cabinet members to implement their versions of DOGE within their various agencies.
He suggested that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), managed by Lee Zeldin, might witness a workforce decrease of up to 65%.
What Are the Plans for Agency Staff Reductions?
A memo later in the day directed federal agencies to send plans for “a significant reduction” in their personnel by March 13.
The memo requires agencies to produce a list of personnel deemed non-essential and to limit future hiring to one post for every four individuals removed.
These layoffs would be on top of DOGE’s already carried out ones, mostly impacting probationary employees.
According to several sources, almost 10,000 federal employees were let go from different agencies earlier this month, adding to the estimated 75,000 workers who accepted voluntary departure offers in the autumn.
This directive marks yet another action toward DOGE’s goal of shrinking the U.S. government’s footprint.
Exemptions apply to positions in law enforcement, border security, immigration enforcement, and the military. The Trump Cabinet Meeting underlined the administration’s intention to eliminate duplicity and restructure government personnel to boost efficiency.
Agreements Being Made with Ukraine?
President Trump confirmed that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is scheduled to visit the White House on Friday as part of discussions emerging from the Trump Cabinet Meeting.
Though exact specifics of the arrangement are yet unknown, the visit is expected to end with the signing of a large minerals agreement between the United States and Ukraine.
Trump said the agreement would help the US “get our money back” for the help given to Ukraine since Russia’s invasion three years ago.
“We have taxpayers that shouldn’t be footing the bill, so we’re going to get a lot of money in the future and I think that’s appropriate,” he said. “It’s all now worked out.”
Zelensky said he wanted more agreements including U.S. security guarantees to discourage fresh Russian action, even although he has characterized the bilateral accord as tentative.
When asked about future security assurances for Ukraine, Trump declared that the U.S. will not give any, adding that the obligation should transfer to Europe. The conversations on Ukraine in the Trump Cabinet Meeting mirror the government’s larger strategy of distributing the weight of global security to regional allies.
Are New Tariffs on European Goods Imminent?
A major policy change under discussion in the Trump Cabinet Meeting, President Trump declared intentions to levy a 25% tariff on goods produced in the European Union.
“We’ll be announcing it very soon,” he informed reporters. “It’ll be 25% generally speaking, and that will be on cars and all other things.”
Examining EU trade policies, Trump said, “They have truly taken advantage of us. Their acceptance of our vehicles is lacking. They don’t accept fundamentally our agricultural products. They cite a variety of reasons why not.”
About possible tariffs on Canada and Mexico, Trump stayed firm even if Canada’s strategy to improve border security and a notable drop in illegal migrant detentions at the southern border call for different approaches.
He had agreed to postpone enforcing 25% tariffs on both nations for 30 days on February 4, to prevent a possible trade war.
“April 2, the tariffs go on,” he declared. “Not all of them but a lot of them. And I find that to be quite fantastic.
All covered at the Trump Cabinet Meeting, this thorough session emphasizes the administration’s aggressive effort to reform government operations, redefine international alliances, and change trade policy.
