Donald Trump held his first cabinet meeting at the White House, and it was anything but ordinary. Instead of a traditional closed-door discussion, Trump turned the gathering into a lengthy question-and-answer session that lasted more than an hour.
Flanked by his cabinet members—and billionaire Elon Musk, who showed up in a “tech support” T-shirt—Trump touched on a wide range of topics, from government spending cuts to immigration, the economy, and international relations.
There were plenty of notable moments during the meeting, but here are the biggest takeaways you need to know.
Trump Praises Rubio and Musk for Their Contributions
When asked which government departments were proving to be the most resistant to change, Trump was quick to share his thoughts.
“So far, I’m happy with all of those choices,” he said, before adding that “some groups are much easier than others.”
He specifically highlighted the contributions of Elon Musk and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, praising their work. Even though Musk isn’t officially part of the cabinet, Trump emphasized his impact on the administration’s efforts to streamline government operations.
His administration, Trump stated, is committed to cutting government spending and working toward a balanced budget within a relatively short period. While he didn’t commit to a specific deadline, he suggested that the goal could be met within a year or two.
Addressing Cabinet Tensions and Musk’s Role
One of the more interesting moments of the meeting came when Trump addressed speculation about possible tensions between Elon Musk and other cabinet members.
“They have a lot of respect for Elon and what he’s doing,” Trump said. “Some may disagree a little bit, but for the most part, I think everyone’s not only happy—they’re thrilled.”
To prove his point, Trump asked the room whether anyone had concerns about Musk’s role. Not a single cabinet member spoke up.
Musk, for his part, defended the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), which he has been helping oversee. He described Doge as a “support function” designed to eliminate fraud and inefficiency within federal agencies.
However, he acknowledged that mistakes had been made, citing an instance where Ebola prevention efforts were accidentally canceled before being reinstated.
“But when we make mistakes, we’ll fix them very quickly,” Musk assured reporters.
Trump Warns Federal Workers About Job Security
Trump also addressed a controversial email sent by Musk to federal employees. In the email, Musk asked workers to list five things they had accomplished in the past week or risk losing their jobs.
The president made it clear that his cabinet fully supports this initiative, suggesting that it is a necessary step in identifying inefficiencies within the federal workforce.
He even speculated—without providing evidence—that some of the one million federal employees who hadn’t responded to the email might not actually exist.
“Maybe they’re going to be gone,” he said, implying that job cuts were on the horizon.
Trump also encouraged cabinet members to implement similar performance assessments within their own agencies, reinforcing the administration’s commitment to reducing the size of government.
One department that could face significant cuts is the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), led by Lee Zeldin. Trump suggested that up to 65% of its workforce could be eliminated.
New Memo Calls for Further Government Downsizing
Later that day, a new memo was sent to federal agencies, asking them to submit plans for a significant reduction in staff by March 13.
The memo instructed agencies to provide lists of non-essential employees and limit new hires to one for every four people let go.
These layoffs would add to the 10,000 federal workers who were already let go earlier this month. Additionally, around 75,000 workers had voluntarily accepted buyout offers from the White House last fall.
Despite these sweeping cuts, some key positions—such as law enforcement, border security, immigration enforcement, and military roles—would be exempt from these staff reductions.
Trump Confirms Upcoming Visit from Zelensky
Another major announcement from the meeting was Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s upcoming visit to the White House.
Trump confirmed that Zelensky would arrive on Friday, with the two leaders expected to sign a new minerals deal.
Though details remain unclear, Trump framed the agreement as a way for the U.S. to “get our money back” for the aid provided to Ukraine since the Russian invasion began three years ago.
“We’re going to get a lot of money in the future, and I think that’s appropriate because taxpayers shouldn’t be footing the bill,” Trump said.
However, Zelensky has referred to the deal as “preliminary” and expressed interest in securing stronger security guarantees from the U.S. to deter further Russian aggression.
When asked whether the U.S. would provide security guarantees for Ukraine, Trump rejected the idea, stating that Europe should take on that responsibility instead.
Trump Plans 25% Tariffs on EU Goods
Trade policy was also on the agenda, with Trump announcing plans to impose a 25% tariff on European Union goods.
“We’ll be announcing it very soon,” he said. “It’ll be 25% generally speaking, and that will be on cars and all other things.”
He accused the EU of taking advantage of the U.S., claiming that European countries refuse to accept American cars and farm products due to unfair trade practices.
Trump also addressed potential tariffs on Canada and Mexico, two of America’s largest trading partners. Previously, he had agreed to delay the implementation of tariffs on these countries for 30 days.
However, he stated that starting April 2, many of these tariffs would officially go into effect.
“I think that’s gonna be amazing,” he said, emphasizing that the tariffs were necessary to protect American businesses and workers.
Final Thoughts: A Meeting That Set the Tone for Trump’s Agenda
Trump’s first cabinet meeting was packed with bold statements, major policy moves, and some eyebrow-raising moments. From aggressive government downsizing to new tariffs and trade policies, the meeting made it clear that his administration is laser-focused on shaking things up.
With massive job cuts, high-stakes trade negotiations, and a shifting approach to foreign policy, it’s evident that Trump is wasting no time implementing his vision.
As the weeks unfold, it will be interesting to see how these policies play out and how they impact both the government and everyday Americans. One thing’s for sure—this presidency is going to be anything but boring!
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