Donald Trump has set the record straight on the powers his pal Elon Musk actually has after the Tesla boss’ team were given access to some of the most sensitive financial databases.

The controversial move has seen the world’s richest man able to cast his eyes over the federal payment system which includes the data of millions of people across the US as well as public contractors.

It’s all part of Musk’s shiny new role as a ‘special government employee’ in Trump’s administration, which sees him head up the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative.

Elon Musk has wasted no time getting stuck into his new role (Kenny Holston-Pool/Getty Images)

DOGE has reportedly been granted ‘full access’ to the sensitive financial data by Trump’s Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, with Democratic Senator Ron Wyden explaining that this includes ‘social security and Medicare benefits, grants, payments to government contractors… All of it’.

The information inside these databases has previously only ever been opened up to a select few, and it seems to have sparked legal trouble as federal unions sued the Treasury Department to block Musk’s access on Monday (February 3).

The unions are alleging that the move to let Musk have access is unlawful disclosure of millions of Americans’ private data, accusing the team of violating the Privacy Act and the Internal Revenue Code.

That same day, President Trump confirmed the tech billionaire had indeed been granted access to the Treasury Department’s critical payment system, but did make it clear that Musk ‘can’t’ do ‘anything without our approval’.

Speaking to press as he signed a slew of new executive orders, Trump said: “Elon can’t do and won’t do anything without our approval. And we’ll give him the approval where appropriate. Where not appropriate, we won’t.”

It comes after Musk declared that he and Trump would be working towards pulling the curtain down on foreign aid agency USAid.

Musk said Trump backs plans to shut down USAid (Tom Brenner for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

The organization – which has around 10,000 staff – is the world’s largest single donor of humanitarian aid, having spent over $40 billion across the world in 2023.

USAid’s spending is decided by Congress, and focuses mainly on providing aid overseas and supporting international charities.

Some of the money goes to the likes of women’s health in conflict zones, access to clean water, and HIV/AIDS treatment.

Musk said: “It’s [USAid] beyond repair. He [Trump] agreed we should shut it down.”

The billionaire added: “It became apparent that it’s not an apple with a worm it in. What we have is just a ball of worms. You’ve got to basically get rid of the whole thing.”

In terms of how feasible this would actually be, Trump may be able to massively downside USAid using executive orders, but he would likely need the support of Congress to actually shut it down altogether.

This is because Congress established USAid as an independent agency in 1998, having first been created in 1961 by John F. Kennedy.

Elon Musk, the ‘first buddy’ to President Donald Trump, controversially went against his leader by claiming the $500 billion AI project the Republican plans on starting up doesn’t ‘actually have the money’.

The 78-year-old has now responded to Musk’s claim about Stargate – ‘the largest AI infrastructure project in history’, which has been backed by seven major companies, and supposedly a half a trillion dollar investment.

President Donald Trump speaks in the Roosevelt Room flanked by Masayoshi Son (2R), Chairman and CEO of SoftBank Group Corp, Larry Ellison (2L), Executive Charmain Oracle and Sam Altman (R), CEO of OpenAI (JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)

But before we get into that, let’s just quickly explain what the project is.

Stargate will see the construction of data centers in the US that will power AI.

The buildout is currently underway in Texas, but other potential sites are being scouted across the country as ‘definitive agreements’ are finalized.

This infrastructure will ‘secure American leadership in AI,’ create ‘hundreds of thousands of American jobs‘ and ‘generate massive economic benefit for the entire world,’ OpenAI – the company behind ChatGPT – claimed on its website.

“This project will not only support the re-industrialization of the United States but also provide a strategic capability to protect the national security of America and its allies,” it continued.

The three key players involved are Oracle CTO Larry Ellison, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son.

It was confirmed $100 billion of funding would be made available ‘immediately,’ with $500 billion to be invested in total by 2029.

The US is already a world-leader of artificial intelligence, and it appears Donald Trump is anxious to keep it that way.

“I’m going to help a lot through emergency declarations because we have an emergency,” he said.

Elon Musk has been critical of the AI project (ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)

So what did Musk tweet?

The tech billionaire has been critical of the project because of a decade-long feud with OpenAI boss Altman, and so took to his social media platform Twitter, to post: “They don’t actually have the money.”

Referring to Stargate, before later adding: “SoftBank has well under $10B secured. I have that on good authority.”

While signing a series of executive orders in the Oval Office, Trump was asked about Musk’s criticisms.

When asked whether he was bothered by Musk’s words, Trump replied: “No, he hates one of the people in the deal.”

He added: “People in the deal are very, very smart people. But Elon – one of the people, he happens to hate. But I have certain hatreds of people, too.”

Seven major businesses are involved with the project so far, including three of the world’s biggest technology firms.

Japan’s SoftBank and United Arab Emirates AI investment arm MGX are among Stargate’s initial equity funders, alongside OpenAI and computer giant Oracle.

Meanwhile semiconductor company Arm joins Microsoft, NVIDIA, Oracle and OpenAI as Stargate’s key technology partners.

Oracle, NVIDIA and OpenAI will ‘closely collaborate to build and operate’ the project’s computing system, while Microsoft will help ‘train leading models and deliver great products and services’.

Elon Musk was spotted giving an enthusiastic thumbs up during Donald Trump’s inaugural speech, which massively contrasted Barron Trump’s reaction.

People tuning into Donald Trump‘s inaugural speech were left gasping for air with laughter after the cameras showed Elon Musk and Barron Trump during the speech.

As Trump commented on America‘s goal of putting a person on Mars, Musk is seen giving a super enthusiastic thumbs up, while stood next to Barron Trump and applauding.

Barron on the other hand, looked pretty unfazed by the whole thing and doesn’t so much as give a smile. Take a look:

As you can imagine the clip of the moment has already started spreading on social media with many delighted by the night and day difference between the two men.

One user commented: “Barron Trump looked like he feared being the first person sent to Mars.”

While another wrote: “Barron Trump giving zero f**ks about Mars while standing next to Elon Muck.”

A third wrote: “Tuned into the Trump inauguration speech for literally less than a minute and was just in time to get this screen shot of Barron Trump looking like he wants to k*ll himself being stuck next to Elon Musk.”

With another adding: “I’m gonna assume Baron Trump is Not a fan of Elon Musk by what I just saw on cam lol.”

The only acceptable face to make when Mars is mentioned (YouTube/AFP)

Now, it does make sense why Musk would be spotted applauding and beaming ear to ear based on what Trump said.

The now sworn-in-president said: “We will pursue our manifest destiny into the stars, launching American astronauts to plant the Stars and Stripes on the planet Mars.”

This is something Musk has publicly spoken about for years and a man on Mars is one of the goals he wishes to see achieved in his lifetime – despite the planet recently being deemed as ‘unsafe for humans to live’ by experts.

Despite the hopes of Musk, experts have also been clear of the many difficulties that starting a civilization on Mars could expect.

Last year David Kipping, the Assistant Professor, Department of Astronomy at Columbia University, spoke to Valuetainment and explained how some people have their doubts regarding Musk’s plans to put civilizations on the red planet.

He said: “Yeah, some of my colleague’s kind of think it’s ridiculous and think it’s just totally crazy that we’ll ever do this.”

Humanity getting to mars has long been a dream (Getty Stock Image)

However he did note that he had no issue with Musk putting his money into projects that could lead to Mars’ colonization.

He continued: “I get the philosophy. The philosophy is, as long as we’re all on planet Earth we’re at risk because all it takes is one giant meteor or one nuclear war or whatever cataclysm you want, and we’re all gone.

“So, if your objective is to preserve the species then it totally makes sense that you would want to have a second base and whether that base be on the moon or Mars, I don’t really have a strong opinion.”

One of the stranded NASA astronauts has admitted that being in space for so long has started to take its toll.

What was meant to be a simple eight-day round mission has been extended extensively.

On June 5, 2024, NASA‘s Boeing Starliner Calypso launched astronauts Sunita ‘Suni’ Williams and Barry ‘Butch’ Wilmore into space for a trip to the International Space Station (ISS).

As the Boeing Starliner Calypso approached the ISS, the capsule’s thrusters malfunctioned and NASA ruled it too dangerous for Williams and Wilmore to return to Earth onboard the space vehicle as planned.

The pair have been stranded in space for months (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Eight months later and the pair still haven’t returned, having their trip back postponed multiple times. Due to the postponements, concerns have grown for the well-being of the two astronauts.

NASA previously addressed this and told LADbible Group: “All NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station undergo routine medical evaluations, have dedicated flight surgeons monitoring them, and are in good health.”

As things currently stand, Williams and Wilmore are expected to return in late March 2025, as NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 is set to be sent to the ISS.

Recently speaking on a call to students at Needham High School in Massachusetts, Williams admitted that being there for so long has meant she’s forgotten how to do basic human functions.

She said: “I’ve been up here long enough, right now I’ve been trying to remember what it’s like to walk. I haven’t walked. I haven’t sat down. I haven’t laid down.”

Despite the expectation that the pair will be coming back to Earth soon, Donald Trump has weighed in on the situation and called on Elon Musk to speed up the process.

Writing on Truth Social on January 28, he argued that the astronauts had been abandoned by the Joe Biden administration.

Elon Musk responded to Trump’s calls with a salute (Truth Social/Donald Trump/Twitter/Elon Musk)

He wrote: “I have just asked Elon Musk and Space X to ‘go get’ the two brave astronauts who have been virtually abandoned in space by the Biden Administration.

“They have been waiting for many months on Space Station. Elon will soon be on his way. Hopefully, all will be safe. Good luck Elon!!!”

Despite the accusations from Trump, NASA states it and SpaceX ‘assessed various options for managing the next crewed handover, including using another Dragon spacecraft and manifest adjustments’.

“After careful consideration, the team determined that launching Crew-10 in late March, following completion of the new Dragon spacecraft, was the best option for meeting NASA’s requirements and achieving space station objectives for 2025,” its blog post resolved.