'Sounds like a yes': CNN host presses Project 2025 mastermind on threat to Musk
CNN's Kate Bolduan pressed a White House official to say whether congressional Republicans might carry through on president Donald Trump's threats against his estranged ally Elon Musk.
The president and his billionaire donor split this week over Musk's criticism of the GOP budget bill, which lawmakers could use to punish the tech mogul by canceling his government contracts to help offset the extension of Trump's 2017 tax cuts, and White House budget director Russell Vought hinted that was a possibility.
"Look, we're disappointed by Elon's comments, but look, we have a job to do," Vought said. "The president has a job to do. He made promises and campaigned to the American people that we would change the way this town works, and we're in the business of doing that, so we're we're full-steam ahead. We're moving forward, and we will continue to educate and explain to the detractors of this bill what we think it does, what we know it to do, and that won't change."
Trump posted Thursday afternoon as their feud escalated that "the easiest way to save money in our Budget" was to terminate governmental contracts and subsidies for Musk's companies, and Bolduan asked Vought whether that was under serious consideration.
"Look, you know, look, we recognize that Elon benefits from and his companies benefit from the taxpayer dollars, right?" Vought said. "I think that's just a reflection of that, and the reality of that, as you assess a bill and assess a bill as big as this one, there's a lot of moving parts, and I think that tweet is a reflection of that reality and, you know, we are aware of the interest that Elon's various companies have, and we are trying to put together the best bill for the American people as we possibly can."
"It sounds like a yes," Bolduan replied.
"No, I didn't say that," Vought insisted. "What I said was that it is a recognition, as we explain to the American people, the realities of people's interests with regard to assessing as a bill good for the country or bad for the country, and the president was stating the reality that the businesses of of Elon Musk benefit and work in tandem with the federal government, and the American people need to know that."
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