In the early days of the Second Trump Administration, it appeared that ABC World News Tonight had taken time to reflect and reconsider their ways, toning things down from their wild subservience to Joe Biden. Well, the time for reflection has ended. And based on the network’s hysterical coverage of all things DOGE and Elon Musk, it appears that they’re back to their old ways.
Anchor David Muir has reverted to long, overwrought introductions that may as well be a brief of the upcoming report. In this case, the report was mostly correspondent Rachel Scott trying (but failing) to gotcha Musk on corruption and conflicts of interest. Absent actual corruption, Scott resorted to nasty yet familiar framing: BILLIONAIRE BAD (click “expand” to view transcript)!
RACHEL SCOTT: Musk, the world’s richest man, with billions of dollars in federal contracts, has been given enormous power. His Department of Government Efficiency already accessing at least 15 agencies.
Mr. Musk, The White House says that you will identify and excuse yourself from any conflicts of interest that you may have. Does that mean that you are in effect policing yourself? What are the checks and balances that are in place to ensure there's accountability and transparency?
ELON MUSK: Well, we actually are trying to be as transparent as possible. In fact, our actions-- we post our actions to the DOGE handle on X and to the DOGE website. So all of our actions are maximally transparent. In fact, I don't think there's been -- I don't know of a case where an organization's been more transparent than the DOGE organization. So -- the kind of things we're doing are, I think, are very simple and basic. These are not individual judgment decisions. These are about simply having simple checks and balances in the system itself to ensure taxpayer money is spent well. So it’s got nothing to do with, say, a contract with some company of mine, At all.
SCOTT: But if there is a conflict of interest, when it comes to you yourself, for instance, you've received billions of dollars in federal contracts when it comes to the Pentagon, for instance, which I know the president has directed you to look into.
MUSK: Yeah.
SCOTT: Are you policing yourself in that? Is there any sort of accountability, check and balance in place that would provide any transparency for the American people?
The whole point of this frame is to establish Musk as the problem rather than a part of the solution. This is why both “billionaire” and “power” are uttered in the same paragraph.
This is also why Scott peppered Musk with questions about potential conflict questions. Musk addressed those concerns and explained the rationale behind the cuts and why it is so important to arrest our national debt.
Before closing out her interview with another nasty frame, Scott maliciously characterized Musk’s quick corrections to flawed communication as spreading “misinformation”:
SCOTT: As Musk's team tears through government agencies, Musk today acknowledging he has sometimes posted misinformation about their findings.
MUSK: Well, first of all, some of the things that I say will be incorrect and should be corrected, so, nobody's going to bat 1,000. I mean, any- we will make mistakes, but we'll act quickly to correct any mistakes.
Expect more such Musk-deranged hysteria as DOGE continues to spread across the whole of government.
Click “expand” to view the full transcript of the aforementioned report as aired on ABC World News Tonight on Tuesday, February 11th, 2025:
DAVID MUIR: We turn now to that remarkable scene at The White House just a short time ago. Elon Musk standing in the Oval Office. President Trump sitting behind the Resolute Desk and it was Elon Musk who held court for more than half an hour. How Musk describes what it is the Trump White House is doing, defending his access to at least 15 government agencies and counting. Elon Musk was asked if he's being transparent, if he's policing himself, and if there's a conflict of interest, given Musk's own company has contracts with the Pentagon. Our Rachel Scott asking many of the questions.
RACHEL SCOTT: Tonight, an extraordinary scene playing out in the Oval Office. President Trump sitting at the Resolute Desk, and standing next to him, Elon Musk and his young son. Holding court for roughly a half an hour.
REPORTER: Your detractors, Mr. Musk…
ELON MUSK: My de- what?
REPORTER: …including a lot of Democrats…
MUSK: I have detractors?
REPORTER: You do, sir.
MUSK: I don't believe it.
REPORTER: …say that you're orchestrating a hostile takeover of government, and doing it in a nontransparent way. What's your response to that criticism?
MUSK: Well, first of all, you couldn't ask for a stronger mandate from the public. The public voted -- we have a majority of the public vote- voting for President Trump. We won the House, we won the Senate. The people voted for major government reform. And a lot of times, you know, people, they don't get what they voted for, but in this presidency, they are going to get what they voted for, and that's what democracy is all about.
SCOTT: Musk, the world’s richest man, with billions of dollars in federal contracts, has been given enormous power. His Department of Government Efficiency already accessing at least 15 agencies.
RACHEL SCOTT: Mr. Musk, The White House says that you will identify and excuse yourself from any conflicts of interest that you may have. Does that mean that you are in effect policing yourself? What are the checks and balances that are in place to ensure there's accountability and transparency?
ELON MUSK: Well, we actually are trying to be as transparent as possible. In fact, our actions-- we post our actions to the DOGE handle on X and to the DOGE website. So all of our actions are maximally transparent. In fact, I don't think there's been -- I don't know of a case where an organization's been more transparent than the DOGE organization. So -- the kind of things we're doing are, I think, are very simple and basic. These are not individual judgment decisions. These are about simply having simple checks and balances in the system itself to ensure taxpayer money is spent well. So it’s got nothing to do with, say, a contract with some company of mine, At all.
SCOTT: But if there is a conflict of interest, when it comes to you yourself, for instance, you've received billions of dollars in federal contracts when it comes to the Pentagon, for instance, which I know the president has directed you to look into.
MUSK: Yeah.
SCOTT: Are you policing yourself in that? Is there any sort of accountability, check and balance in place that would provide any transparency for the American people?
MUSK: Well, all of our actions are fully public. So, if you see anything, you say, like, wait a second, hey, Elon, that seems like maybe that's, you know, there's a conflict there, It’s not like people are going to be shy about saying that. They’ll say it immediately.
SCOTT: Including you, yourself?
MUSK: Yes. Transparency is what builds trust. Not simply somebody asserting trust. Not somebody saying they're trustworthy, but transparency, so you can see everything that's going on. And you can see, am I doing something that benefits one of my companies or not? It's totally obvious.
DONALD TRUMP: And if we thought that, we would not let him do that segment, or look in that area. If we thought there was a lack of transparency or a conflict of interest.
SCOTT: But I followed up.
You have received billions of dollars in contracts from the Pentagon, and the president's directing you to look into the Department of Defense- is that a conflict of interest?
MUSK: Which we definitely need to do and are going to do, at the president's request.
SCOTT: Does that present a conflict of interest for you?
MUSK: No, because you have to look at the individual contract and say- first of all, I'm not the one, you know, filing the contract. It's people at SpaceX.
SCOTT: Musk and Trump have complained several of their plans are stalled in the courts, raising concerns the administration may defy a judge's orders. Today, the president told me that won't happen.
If a judge does block one of your policies, part of your agenda, will you abide by that ruling? Will you comply with that order?
TRUMP: Well, I'll always abide by the courts and then I’ll have to appeal it. But then, what he's done is, he’s slowed down the momentum.
SCOTT: As Musk's team tears through government agencies, Musk today acknowledging he has sometimes posted misinformation about their findings.
MUSK: Well, first of all, some of the things that I say will be incorrect and should be corrected, so, nobody's going to bat 1,000. I mean, any- we will make mistakes, but we'll act quickly to correct any mistakes.
SCOTT: And David, there in the Oval Office, it was clear just how powerful Elon Musk is in this White House. And tonight, we're learning he's about to be even more powerful. The president signing an executive order that directs all federal agencies to work with Musk and his team to cut staffing and limit hiring. It also gives Musk the broad authority to decide which positions in this federal workforce should or should not
MUIR: All right. Rachel Scott right there in the briefing room tonight. Rachel, thank you.
