The US president has praised his government efficiency tsar for doing a "fantastic job"

US President Donald Trump has heaped praise on Elon Musk, the head of his government waste-cutting task force, saying he wants the billionaire and his "fantastic" Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) team to stay in Washington for the "long haul."

Speaking at a Cabinet meeting on Thursday, Trump said he didn't need anything from the billionaire entrepreneur - except that he happens to like him - while crediting Musk with uncovering billions in potential savings across the federal government.

"Elon's done a fantastic job. Look, he's sitting here and I don't care. I don't need Elon for anything other than I happen to like him," Trump said. "But I'm telling you, this guy did a fantastic job."

The president said that he even bought a Tesla car he doesn't need - not for himself, but to let his office staff drive around as a show of support for Musk. "They said, oh, did you get a bargain? No. I said, give me the top price," Trump quipped.

Musk, in turn, credited the "fantastic leadership" of Trump and the Cabinet, announcing that DOGE anticipates saving $150 billion in fiscal year 2026 by reducing fraud and waste in federal spending.

"Some of it is just absurd - like people getting unemployment insurance who haven't been born yet," Musk said.

Musk's high-profile advisory role in Trump's administration has attracted many critics, accusing him of alleged conflicts of interest and political bias in his companies' operations and federal contracts. A group of Democratic lawmakers sent a letter to the White House calling for Musk's removal, arguing that his "erratic behavior" and past controversies undermine public trust.

The White House has so far stood by Musk, with Trump making clear on Thursday that he has no intention of parting ways with his government's waste hunter. The US president said he hopes Musk's team will stay on beyond this initiative, praising their tech-savvy approach.

"Your people are fantastic... They're great. Smart, sharp... finding things that nobody would have thought of," the president said. "We'd like to keep as many as we can. In fact, hopefully they'll stay around for the long haul."