WASHINGTON ( CNN ) -- President Obama on Monday gathered together every confirmed member of his Cabinet for the first time as president and challenged them to cut $ 100 million in the next 90 days . President Obama meets Monday with his Cabinet , including Defense Secretary Robert Gates , right . Agencies will have to report how they saved on expenses at the end of the period . The federal government has `` a confidence gap when it comes to the American people , '' Obama said at the White House . `` We 've got to earn their trust . They 've got to feel confident that their dollars are being spent wisely . '' The edict is part of Obama 's `` commitment to go line by line through the budget to cut spending '' and `` reform the government , '' a senior administration official said . One potential Cabinet officer was missing from the meeting -- Kansas Gov . Kathleen Sebelius , the health and human services secretary-designate . The Senate has not voted on whether to confirm Sebelius to the post . Obama made his savings request as the House of Representatives and Senate were returning from recess this week , ready to start reconciling their versions of the fiscal 2010 budget resolution . The president 's budget request is $ 3.67 trillion . Watch how the administration hopes to cut costs » . In the context of the federal budget , $ 100 million in savings is a small amount , critics said . `` Any amount of savings is obviously welcome , '' Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Kentucky , said . `` But [ $ 100 million is ] about the average amount we 'll spend every single day just covering the interest on the stimulus package that we passed earlier this year . '' White House press secretary Robert Gibbs insisted that ordinary Americans nevertheless would appreciate the savings effort . `` Only in Washington , D.C. , is $ 100 million not a lot of money , '' Gibbs said . `` It is where I 'm from . It is where I grew up . And I think it is for hundreds of millions of Americans . '' The administration also contends the order signaled an important demonstration of fiscal responsibility . `` None of these savings by themselves are going to solve our long-term fiscal problems , '' Obama said . `` But taken together , they can make a difference , and they send a signal that we are serious about how government operates . '' The White House offered examples of how agencies already have started cost-cutting measures , including : . CNN 's Suzanne Malveaux contributed to the report .
USA : President Obama says , ` ` We ' ve got to earn [ the public 's ] trust '' NEW : Obama meets with agencies to discuss how agencies can cuts costs . They will have to report how they saved on expenses after 90 days . Critics say $ 100 million in expenses is a small amount .