Elon Musk met with nearly all Senate Republicans at the Capitol on Wednesday. (Getty Images)
The Tesla and SpaceX CEO also joked that you don't need to be a detective, like "Sherlock Holmes," in order to find waste, fraud or abuse in the government. In fact, he said it's much easier than some realize, the source added.
In response to a question from Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., regarding government funding that goes to private universities, Musk remarked, "Kim Jong Un has a lot to learn from elite universities" when it comes to developing propaganda, the source said.
The Republicans burst into applause when Musk replied to another question, telling them that they should "frankly delete" the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), according to the source.
NEPA has long been opposed by many Republicans because it allows climate advocacy groups to challenge infrastructure and energy projects in court, delaying them.
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The U.S. Capitol is seen lit by the morning sun. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc)
According to Musk, the employees actually want to help find waste in the government, now that they have been "given permission to care."
Some of those who were absent from the lunch meeting were Sens. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Bill Cassidy, R-La. There are lunches weekly in the Senate, and it's common for senators to miss them on occasion.
Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, was also not in attendance because she joined the Republican Study Committee (RSC) for lunch in the House of Representatives.
Representatives for the White House and DOGE did not immediately provide comment to Fox News Digital.
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President Donald Trump speaks as Elon Musk, joined by his son X Æ A-Xii, listens in the Oval Office at the White House, Feb. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Cassidy has been in close contact with Musk over the phone, through text messages, and in Zoom meetings, a spokesperson told Fox News Digital. The two connected twice in just the last week and have a solid working relationship, they added. Per the spokesperson, the senator is supportive of Musk and DOGE's mission, but had a prior commitment on Wednesday afternoon.
A spokesperson for Tillis told Fox News Digital, "Sen. Tillis had a previously scheduled meeting that prevented him from attending."
Murkowski was sick and also missed a hearing Wednesday morning in the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP). Her office said she came into the office later in the afternoon for a markup in the Senate Indian Affairs Committee (SCIA), which she chairs.
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The Musk Senate meeting comes less than a week after members of the chamber's DOGE caucus traveled to the White House to meet with the billionaire.
Julia Johnson is a politics writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business, leading coverage of the U.S. Senate. She was previously a politics reporter at the Washington Examiner.
Follow Julia's reporting on X at @JuliaaJohnson_ and send tips to Julia.Johnson@fox.com.
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