Sen. Patty Murray wants Elon Musk talking to Congress: ‘We need real answers from DOGE’

Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.) took to the Senate floor and asked Elon Musk to come before Congress to answer questions about his cost-cutting measures and mass firings via the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

“We need real answers from DOGE, and we need them as soon as possible,” Murray said. “So once again, I am requesting that Elon Musk come before Congress for a hearing to be held accountable for the American people. Tell us, what exactly are you doing?”

Murray referenced Bonneville Power Administration workers who were terminated, even though their wages are covered by ratepayers. She also said Musk should explain who works for him and how they were vetted.

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Is Elon Musk firing staff or not?

Over the weekend, Senator Rick Scott (R-Fla.) said that Musk doesn’t actually have the power to terminate anyone.

“Elon Musk does not have the power to fire people. The president of the United States is Donald Trump, and the agency heads are the ones who manage each of their departments, so they’ve got the decision, that’s what Elon Musk has told me time and time again,” Scott explained on CNN.

Last week, a New York Times report said tensions came to a head between Musk and Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a cabinet meeting. The report says Musk accused Rubio of not doing enough to terminate staff and reduce the size of his department. Rubio responded by saying over 1,500 State Department workers went into early retirement as a result of his efforts.

President Donald Trump, meanwhile, said Cabinet secretaries will make final staffing and cost-cutting decisions, not Musk. The tech billionaire is empowered to make recommendations, but may not make unilateral decisions, according to Politico.

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