Washington : Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk has suggested increasing the salaries of U.S. Congress members and senior government officials to help curb corruption. His remarks come as part of his advisory role in President Donald Trump's newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), aimed at cutting federal spending and bureaucracy.
Musk’s Argument for Higher Salaries
In a post on his social media platform, X, Musk stated, “It might make sense to increase compensation for Congress and senior government employees to reduce the forcing function for corruption, as the latter might be as much as 1000 times more expensive to the public.”
His comments follow years of stagnant congressional salaries, with lawmakers blocking automatic cost-of-living adjustments since 2009. The current annual salary for members of Congress remains at $174,000—significantly above the national average but unchanged for 15 years.
A proposed funding bill in December included a 3.8% increase, amounting to approximately $6,600, but was ultimately removed after Musk criticized it.
DOGE Program Sparks Controversy
Musk has played an influential role in the DOGE initiative, which aims to streamline government operations. His approach has been met with resistance, with one-third of DOGE staff resigning after he sent a mass email to two million federal employees, demanding they justify their roles or risk termination.
Despite concerns from cabinet members, President Trump defended Musk’s efforts, stating his administration was “thrilled” with the initiative. Musk, in turn, warned that without drastic reforms, “America will go bankrupt.”
His comments and policies continue to stir debate over the balance between cutting government inefficiencies and ensuring fair compensation for public officials.
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