Trump DOGE already uncovered massive amounts of waste, fraud & abuse; tariffs with Mexico & Canada

President Trump provided updates on DOGE discoveries, the Mexico tariff deal, and Canada negotiations during press remarks. On DOGE, Trump clarified Elon Musk’s role — access for evaluating personnel and spending but only with administration approval: “He’s got access only to letting people go that he thinks are no good if we agree with him, and it’s only if we agree with him.” Trump cited specific DOGE findings: “A hundred million dollars on condoms to Hamas, condoms to Hamas, and many other things that are frankly even more ridiculous, and they’re finding tremendous waste … probably fraud and abuse could be added to it.” On conflicts of interest, Trump emphasized protection framework: “There’s a conflict that we won’t let him get near it, but he does have a good natural instinct, he’s got a team of very talented people, we’re trying to shrink government.” On Mexico, Trump revealed the Sheinbaum deal: Mexico agreed to put “10,000 soldiers permanently, like forever, 10,000 soldiers at their side of the border, and stop fentanyl and illegal aliens from coming into our country.” Trump on fentanyl deaths: “We’ve lost 200,000 people on average a year for many years, much higher than the 100,000, it could be even closer to 300,000.” Trump on Scheinbaum: “We had a great talk with Mexico, and we had President Scheinbaum, is a woman I like her very much, we’ve had good relationships.” On Canada, Trump revealed banking restrictions question to Trudeau: “I did ask him a couple of questions, like banks aren’t allowed to do business in Canada, Canada is very tough, Canada is very, we’re not treated well by Canada, and we have to be treated well.”

Musk Treasury Access

“Mr. President, why is it important for Elon Musk to have access to the payment systems at Treasury?”

The reporter framework:

• Musk access concerns
• Treasury payment systems
• Sensitive data access
• Oversight question
• Public concern framework

Only With Approval

“Well, he’s got access only to letting people go that he thinks are no good if we agree with him, and it’s only if we agree with him.”

Trump’s framework:

• Limited access
• Only personnel removal
• Agreement required
• Trump approval needed
• Restricted framework

The Musk oversight framework:

• Not unilateral authority
• Recommendation basis
• Trump final say
• Administration approval
• Constitutional framework

Talented Manager

“He’s a very talented guy from the standpoint of management and costs, and we put him in charge of seeing what he can do with certain groups and certain numbers.”

Trump’s framework:

• Talented (Musk)
• Management expertise
• Cost expertise
• Certain groups
• Certain numbers

Musk credentials:

• Tesla founder/CEO
• SpaceX founder/CEO
• Largest private companies
• Efficiency reputation
• Cost-cutting legend

Horrible Numbers

“The numbers, some of the numbers are horrible, what he’s found.”

Trump’s framework:

• Some horrible numbers
• Findings shocking
• Waste evident
• Fraud framework
• Abuse discovered

Condoms to Hamas

“A hundred, think of it, a hundred million dollars on condoms to Hamas, condoms to Hamas, and many other things that are frankly even more ridiculous.”

Trump’s framework:

• $100 million condoms
• Recipient: Hamas
• “Think of it” framework
• Ridiculous framework
• Many other framework

The condoms to Hamas controversy:

• USAID program allegations
• Contraceptive distribution Gaza
• Various reports
• Context disputed
• DOGE finding

“They’re finding tremendous waste, really waste more than anything else I think you could say, probably fraud and abuse could be added to it, the more standard waste, fraud and abuse, but they’re finding tremendous amounts of really bad things, bad spending.”

Trump’s framework:

• Tremendous waste
• Waste primarily
• Fraud possible
• Abuse possible
• Standard framework
• Bad spending generally

Reading About It

“You’ve been reading about, you’ve been writing about some of it frankly, and some of the things that they’ve been doing is just terrible.”

Trump’s framework:

• Media coverage acknowledged
• Writing about findings
• Some things terrible
• Public awareness
• Report framework

The media coverage:

• DOGE findings publicized
• Specific programs identified
• Various agencies
• Daily revelations
• Political framework

Approval Framework

“Elon can’t do and won’t do anything without our approval, and we’ll give him the approval we’re not appropriate, we won’t, but he reports in and he, it’s something that he feels very strongly about.”

Trump’s framework:

• No action without approval
• Approval process
• Reporting framework
• Strong feelings (Musk)
• Accountability framework

“And I’m impressed because he’s running obviously a big company, has nothing to do with, there’s a conflict that we won’t let him get near it.”

Trump’s framework:

• Impressive dual work
• Big company running
• Conflict framework
• Isolation from conflicts
• Protection framework

Conflict Protection

The conflict framework:

Musk’s conflicts:

• Tesla (federal contracts, regulations)
• SpaceX (government contracts)
• X (regulatory issues)
• Neuralink (FDA oversight)
• Various others

Protection framework:

• Won’t let near conflict areas
• Specific agencies avoided
• Recusal framework
• Trump oversight
• Clean framework

Shrink Government

“But he does have a good natural instinct, he’s got a team of very talented people, we’re trying to shrink government.”

Trump’s framework:

• Natural instinct (Musk)
• Talented team
• Government shrinking goal
• Collective effort
• Shared mission

“And he can probably shrink it as well as anybody else, if not better.”

Trump’s framework:

• Musk capability
• As good as anybody
• Possibly better
• Track record framework
• Confidence framework

Not Let Near Conflicts

“Where we think there’s a conflict or there’s a problem, we won’t let him go near it, but he has some very good ideas, and we have a lot of very other talented people also, we’ll bring it in the most talented people in the world.”

Trump’s framework:

• Conflict protection
• Problem areas avoided
• Good ideas nonetheless
• Other talented people
• Most talented globally

The DOGE team framework:

• Musk leadership
• Various technologists
• Business experts
• Government veterans
• External fresh eyes

Mexico Tariff Question

“Is there any chance that Canada or China could also get out of the tariff after you start the deal with Mexico?”

The reporter framework:

• Canada deal possibility
• China deal possibility
• Mexico precedent
• Tariff relief
• Negotiating framework

Mexico Framework

“Well, nobody’s out with Mexico, we had a great talk with Mexico, and we had President Scheinbaum, is a woman I like her very much, we’ve had good relationships.”

Trump’s framework:

• Mexico not out (deal pending)
• Great talk
• Sheinbaum specifically
• Personal relationship
• Good relationships

Claudia Sheinbaum:

• Mexico’s first female president
• Leftist Morena party
• Scientist background
• AMLO successor
• Trump relationship

Fentanyl and Illegal Aliens

“But we have to stop fentanyl from coming in, whether I like somebody or not, and we have to stop the illegal aliens from coming in.”

Trump’s framework:

• Fentanyl priority
• Illegal aliens priority
• Personal relationships secondary
• Mission primary
• Policy framework

200,000 to 300,000 Deaths

“I think we’ve lost 200,000 people on average a year for many years, much higher than the 100,000, it could be even closer to 300,000.”

Trump’s framework:

• 200,000 average annually
• Many years duration
• Higher than 100,000 cited
• Possibly 300,000
• Massive death toll

The actual fentanyl death data:

• ~75,000 fentanyl deaths annually (CDC)
• ~110,000 overall drug overdoses
• Multi-year totals much higher
• Trump’s framework conflates/expands
• General crisis framework

10,000 Soldiers Permanent

“And they’ve agreed to put in 10,000 soldiers permanently, like forever, 10,000 soldiers at their side of the border, and stop fentanyl and illegal aliens from coming into our country.”

Trump’s framework:

• Mexico agreement
• 10,000 soldiers
• Permanent deployment
• Mexico side
• Stop fentanyl/aliens

The Sheinbaum deal:

• National Guard commitment
• Border security cooperation
• 30-day tariff pause
• Further negotiations
• Initial framework

“They have a big incentive to do.”

Trump’s framework:

• Big incentive (Mexico)
• Tariff avoidance
• Economic pressure effective
• Negotiating success
• Tool validation

Agreed to Talk

“Other than that we’ve agreed to talk and consider various other things, we haven’t agreed on tariffs yet, and maybe we won’t, but we have a very good relationship.”

Trump’s framework:

• Agreed to talk
• Various other things
• No tariff agreement yet
• Maybe no agreement
• Good relationship

The framework:

• Ongoing negotiations
• Multiple issues
• Tariff uncertainty
• Relationship maintained
• Iterative framework

Trudeau Canada

“I also spoke with Prime Minister Trudeau of Canada, and we had a good talk in the morning.”

Trump’s framework:

• Trudeau call
• Good talk
• Morning conversation
• Bilateral engagement
• Continuing framework

Justin Trudeau:

• Canadian PM
• Liberal Party
• Trump critic historically
• Current framework
• Political pressure

Canada Banking Questions

“But I did ask him a couple of questions, like banks aren’t allowed to do business in Canada.”

Trump’s framework:

• Questions posed
• Banking restrictions
• Canada limitations
• Protectionism revealed
• Unknown to public

The Canada banking framework:

• Foreign bank restrictions
• Market access limits
• Regulatory barriers
• Historical protectionism
• Trump spotlight

“Canada is very tough, Canada is very, we’re not treated well by Canada, and we have to be treated well.”

Trump’s framework:

• Canada tough
• Not treated well
• Treatment issue
• Correction needed
• Strong framework

Trade Relationship Framework

The US-Canada trade relationship:

Historical:

• USMCA framework
• Deep integration
• Auto industry
• Energy trade
• Services

Concerns:

• Trade deficit (~$63 billion)
• Banking restrictions
• Dairy/supply management
• Various barriers
• Protectionist framework

Trump approach:

• Tariff threat
• Specific barriers cited
• Negotiating leverage
• Direct engagement
• Reform framework

Fentanyl Crisis

The fentanyl crisis framework:

Production:

• China precursors
• Mexico manufacturing
• Cartel operations
• US destination
• Massive framework

Deaths:

• ~75,000 annually fentanyl
• Overall overdoses ~110,000
• Multi-year devastation
• Various populations
• Ongoing crisis

Trump approach:

• Mexican cooperation
• China pressure
• Canadian vigilance
• Tariff leverage
• Multi-pronged

DOGE Framework

The DOGE discovery framework:

USAID focus:

• Various programs
• Gender ideology
• DEI programs
• Foreign aid waste
• Political programming

Other agencies:

• Education Department
• Various federal programs
• Contracting waste
• Personnel issues
• Program redundancy

The findings pattern:

• Waste emphasized
• Fraud likely
• Abuse possible
• Ridiculous programs
• Political framework

Significance

The Oval Office remarks captured:

1. Musk limited authority: Approval-based
2. $100M condoms to Hamas: DOGE finding
3. Mexico deal: 10,000 soldiers permanent
4. Fentanyl deaths: 200,000-300,000 framework
5. Sheinbaum relationship: “Like her very much”
6. Canada banking revealed: Trudeau asked
7. Conflict protection: Won’t let Musk near conflicts

Trump’s DOGE framework defended Musk’s role while emphasizing approval requirements. Not unilateral authority but recommendation-based framework — addressing concerns while maintaining operation.

The Mexico deal — 10,000 soldiers permanent — demonstrated tariff leverage effectiveness. Sheinbaum agreement within days of tariff threat, concrete commitments exchanged.

The fentanyl death framework used aggressive numbers (200,000-300,000). Trump’s framework expanded typical CDC figures, signaling crisis severity emphasis.

The Canada banking revelation provided specific barrier example. Not abstract trade complaints but concrete asymmetry — banks restricted, cars unrestricted.

Key Takeaways

• Trump on Musk access: “Well, he’s got access only to letting people go that he thinks are no good if we agree with him, and it’s only if we agree with him. He’s a very talented guy from the standpoint of management and costs, and we put him in charge of seeing what he can do with certain groups and certain numbers.”
• Trump on DOGE findings: “A hundred million dollars on condoms to Hamas, condoms to Hamas, and many other things that are frankly even more ridiculous, and they’re finding tremendous waste, really waste more than anything else I think you could say, probably fraud and abuse could be added to it.”
• Trump on Musk conflict protection: “Where we think there’s a conflict or there’s a problem, we won’t let him go near it, but he has some very good ideas, and we have a lot of very other talented people also, we’ll bring it in the most talented people in the world.”
• Trump on Mexico: “They’ve agreed to put in 10,000 soldiers permanently, like forever, 10,000 soldiers at their side of the border, and stop fentanyl and illegal aliens from coming into our country. They have a big incentive to do. President Scheinbaum, is a woman I like her very much, we’ve had good relationships.”
• Trump on fentanyl deaths: “I think we’ve lost 200,000 people on average a year for many years, much higher than the 100,000, it could be even closer to 300,000. We have to stop fentanyl from coming in, whether I like somebody or not, and we have to stop the illegal aliens from coming in.”