Elon Musk, the world’s richest person, has been advocating for a department to reduce United States government spending for several months. On November 12, President-elect Donald Trump granted his wish by appointing Musk and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy to lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). This department is expected to serve as an advisory body working alongside the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to assist the president in developing budget proposals for Congress.
DOGE is not an official cabinet position, as creating a new government agency would require congressional approval. Musk has expressed his intention to cut $2 trillion from the US government’s annual budget and reduce the number of agencies from 428 to 99. Ramaswamy aims to decrease the federal government workforce by 75%, potentially affecting 1.5 million employees.
To support their efforts, Trump ally Marjorie Taylor Greene has been chosen to lead a DOGE subcommittee in the House of Representatives. Musk’s plan to streamline government operations has raised concerns about the impact on essential services and the economy.
Musk’s appointment as head of DOGE has sparked conflicts of interest due to his businesses’ significant government contracts, including SpaceX and Tesla. These conflicts extend to agencies investigating or sanctioning Musk and his companies. Critics have raised concerns about Musk’s ability to make impartial financial decisions that could affect his businesses’ future funding.
Overall, Musk’s appointment to lead DOGE has raised questions about the potential impact on government operations, services, and accountability.