Sen. Rick Scott Clarifies Elon Musk’s Role in Federal Job Cuts

Scott emphasizes that firing decisions rest with President Trump and agency heads, not Musk, following controversy over workforce reductions.

Senator Rick Scott stated that Elon Musk does not have the authority to fire federal employees, clarifying that such decisions are made by President Trump and agency heads.
The comments come after tensions reportedly arose between Musk and Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a Cabinet meeting over workforce reductions at the State Department.
Musk has been advising the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) on identifying areas for potential cuts, including controversial recommendations to reduce workforce sizes in federal agencies.
Rubio reportedly pushed back against Musk's recommendations, particularly concerning early retirements and layoffs at the State Department, calling Musk's approach into question.
Scott defended Musk’s involvement as advisory, stating that Musk is reviewing programs and providing input while ultimate decisions are made by agency leaders.