Transport secretary Sean Duffy accuses tech billionaire of firing personnel that should not have been laid off

Summary

Elon Musk clashed with Trump’s cabinet in a heated White House meeting over Doge’s aggressive cost-cutting.

Transport Secretary Sean Duffy was enraged by Musk’s attempts to cut air traffic controllers despite a national shortage, accusing him of unjustified layoffs. Duffy presented a spreadsheet showing Musk was not telling the truth, prompting Trump to order MIT graduates be hired instead.

Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins criticized hospital cuts, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio also confronted Musk.

Trump backed his cabinet, emphasizing a “scalpel rather than hatchet” approach to staffing reductions.

  • treadful@lemmy.zipEnglish
    84·
    1 day ago

    The exchange ended with the president ordering Mr Duffy to hire staff from MIT as air traffic controllers because the role requires “geniuses”, The New York Times reported.

    This is the dumbest timeline.

    • bricklove@midwest.socialEnglish
      30·
      1 day ago

      “My expertise is mostly in sorting algorithms. I don’t see how–”

      “Shut up, nerd! Get in the tower and make the planes stay in the air”

    • Sanctus@lemmy.worldEnglish
      41·
      1 day ago

      I think I’d rather have actual idiocracy, because at least the president wanted to do well

    • mkwt@lemmy.world
      11·
      1 day ago

      In reality, there are all sorts of unique requirements to be an air traffic controller, but I don’t think “college degree” is one of them.