Musk visits National Security Agency after urging 'overhaul' of U.S. cyberespionage hub
NBC3 days ago
Musk Visits NSA Amid Federal Workforce Reduction Plans
Above: In this photo illustration, a US National Security Agency (NSA) logo is displayed on a smartphone with stock market percentages in the background. Image copyright: Omar Marques/Contributor/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
The Facts
Elon Musk, the face of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), conducted his first visit to the National Security Agency (NSA) headquarters at Fort Meade, Maryland, meeting with Gen. Timothy Haugh, who oversees both the NSA and US Cyber Command.
The Defense Department has issued directives to reduce the civilian workforce by 5%-8% by June, with intelligence agencies, including the NSA, now exploring early retirement and buyout options for employees. The military also limited civilian employees' tax-funded credit card use.
Gen. Haugh is holding meetings with multiple White House advisors, with the agency stating that it's "aligned" with the priorities of President Donald Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Intelligence Director (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard.
The Spin
Republican narrative
Elon Musk’s efforts to streamline intelligence and military agencies are urgently needed and long overdue. A recent exposé revealed that staff at several agencies, including the NSA, were exploiting diversity, equity, and inclusion programs to indulge perversions on the taxpayer dime, compromising national security. These agencies, with access to our every move, have rotted under bureaucratic bloat for decades.
Democratic narrative
Elon Musk’s DOGE is a reckless disaster for intelligence agencies. His chaotic "pulse check" emails, rightly defied by NASA and the State Department, sow confusion and resistance, risking sensitive operations. Far from fixing rot, DOGE's haphazard cuts — like firing 5.4K Defense employees — threaten national security. Musk's corrupt power grab diverts focus from real reform, burdening agencies with his ego-driven mess when they need stability, not disruption.