Elon Musk gets a shoutout from Donald Trump during his speech to the Congress

In a spirited address that is drawing mixed reactions from the Congress, President Donald Trump hailed the creation of Department of Government Efficiency, popularly referred to as "Doge," a new agency aimed at reducing government waste.

Speaking at the US Capitol, Trump stressed that his administration is "ending the flagrant waste of taxpayer dollars" with the formation of the Elon Musk-led agency.

Trump took a moment to spotlight his billionaire ally and tech entrepreneur Elon Musk, who was present in the audience wearing a sharp suit and a blue tie.


As he recognized Musk, the billionaire stood and saluted, prompting Trump to express his gratitude. Meanwhile, the Republicans gave the SpaceX CEO a standing ovation and Trump applauded him.

"He didn't need this," Trump said, referring to Musk's involvement in government efficiency efforts. "Thank you very much, we appreciate it. Even this side (Democrats) appreciates, I believe, they just don't want to admit that," he said.

Democrats, meanwhile, flashed placards in silence which read "False", "Musk steals" and "That's a lie!"

The 78-year-old president then proceeded to enumerate instances of what he described as wasteful spending that Musk and the newly established Department of Government Efficiency have reportedly uncovered.

Trump's detailed criticism highlighted various government expenditures that he argued could be curtailed to better serve the American taxpayer.