Trump says he would make Musk head of government audit body if elected

WASHINGTON - US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump says he will pick tech billionaire and Tesla owner Elon Musk to head a "government efficiency commission" to audit the entire administration if he is elected in November's presidential election, reported German news agency (dpa).

"Elon Musk... has given me his complete and total endorsement," Trump said in a speech on economic policy in New York on Thursday. "He knows what he's doing.

"I will create a government efficiency commission tasked with conducting a complete financial and performance audit of the entire federal government and making recommendations for drastic reforms," Trump said.

"And Elon, because he's not very busy, has agreed to head that task force," he added.

It was Musk who initially recommended setting up such a body to Trump, telling the former president during a talk hosted live on his social media platform X in August that a commission was needed to ensure that taxpayers' money was spent properly.

Tesla boss Musk is supporting Trump in the presidential election campaign and regularly campaigns against Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris, Trump's challenger in the Nov 5 vote.

"I look forward to serving America if the opportunity arises. No pay, no title, no recognition is needed," Musk wrote on Thursday on X, which he owns.

In Thursday's speech, Trump also said he would impose tariffs on foreign products if elected in November.

During his first term in office, he instigated trade conflicts with China and the European Union.

"Under my leadership, America will encourage domestic production instead of punishing it," he said.

Economists fear that broad-based tariffs could fuel inflation in the US again and that the costs would be passed on to consumers.

Trump rejects this criticism of his proposals. - BERNAMA-dpa