Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.) hit Elon Musk and the government's Department of Efficiency (DOGE) but brought his remarks to colleagues on the House of Representatives' Avenue and Means Committee.
During the markup of a bill related to providing the House with information on the Treasury payment system and DOGE access to the Social Security Agency, Larson turned red and cried out to his Republican colleagues.
“Where is the committee's independence? Where is the Congress? We are an equal branch of the government,” cried outraged Larson.
Federal judge orders Elon Musk, Doge to reveal plans to reduce government and identify all employees
“I am sure he is a genius and a very reliable person for the wealth he has accumulated, but that does not exceed the law or the responsibility that comes before this committee and this council,” Larson said. “If he is great and all the plans and all the fraud and abuse he finds are so well-known, why isn't he explaining it here?
“Because he's trying to privatize Social Security. He's been talking about Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and exactly what he's trying to do for the past few days.
Democrat John Larson screams during a meeting of Elon Musk and the House Methods and Means Committee on Government Efficiency. (Fox News)
The White House responded Thursday in a statement to Fox News Digital.
“The Democrats have no plans on how to recover from embarrassing losses, and that shows,” said White House Principal Harrison Fields. “Instead of working to be a party focused on people's will, they're bent into hell with keeping their heads in the sand and gaslighting Doge's widely supported mission.
“To cut waste, fraud, abuse and become a better custodian of the hard-earned dollars for American taxpayers may be a crime for Democrats, but it's not a crime in court.”
President Donald Trump is listening to White House Senior Advisor Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, next to Tesla Cybertruck and the Model S on the South Lawn of the White House on March 11, 2025. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
The White House said earlier this week that President Donald Trump will “always protect Social Security, Medicare.” Interview with Fox Business Watch Doge's work behind the scenes on Monday.
Democrats have been troubled by Musk's comments on the elimination of waste and fraud in the rights program, and he said he has taken most of his federal spending into consideration.
“Essentially, there's a massive scam where people are filing Social Security benefits, unemployment, small business management loans, and health care,” Musk said. “We're trying to stop all of that.”
Musk also said the Fox Business Federal qualification program will serve as “a mechanism by which Democrats can come here and essentially attract and maintain illegal immigrants by paying them to voters.”
Doge and agency cancel 200,000 federal credit cards
The White House said the US government's Accountability Office estimates taxpayers are losing $521 billion a year to fraud.
Musk also said in a podcast interview with Joe Rogan last month that “Social Security is the biggest Ponzi scheme ever.”
Rep. John Larson, D-Conn. arrives for the House Methods and Means Committee to hear December 5th, 2023. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc.
Larson argues that the Trump administration wants to “cut off and privatize” American interests. He said in the committee's markup that Musk and the White House are perpetuating the “big lie” that “there is a democratic plan to bring illegal immigrants to the country by paying Social Security.” “Nothing of them has a thread of truth,” Larson said.
“And yet, this unexplainable person – not a federal employee, not a volunteer, not a Senate approval, and this committee said, “Yes, you should not agree to the President. He should not have free reins. He said.
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Larson said Social Security “could just happen to be the number one anti-poverty program for seniors and children in the country,” adding that Musk and Trump “will never lose the sleep of the moment they think about privatization.”
Lawmakers and Democrats on all committees have introduced a resolution that forces the Trump administration to provide answers about Doge's intentions on social security, but Larson argued that he is trying to stop Republicans from coming to the ballot.
