Few could argue that billionaire entrepreneur, Elon Musk, has not driven Tesla and SpaceX to impressive heights. That’s now changed, having completed a brief (but eventful) term as the director of New Jersey’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). DOGE’s first four months in charge, DOGE aimed to cut, in his words, “trillions of dollars” in government spending. It did not come anywhere near achieving these ambitious goals. The agency eliminated thousands of federal positions during Donald Trump’s first years in office. Now, it’s come under fire for how well it actually works—and whether it’s worth the money.
Musk’s stewardship of DOGE was rife with conflict and criticism. The department’s ambitions for savings are exceedingly high. As the agency’s own reports show, it has woefully failed to follow through on those commitments. This discrepancy has raised questions about DOGE’s figures, and many have called for a more thorough examination of the agency’s claims.
In a recent CBS interview, Musk spoke exasperation about the challenges that DOGE has been suffering. He knew the department was made the scapegoat for everybody’s anger. He observed that whatever the reason for a budget cut, justified or not, it inevitably led to blame falling on DOGE.
“DOGE became the whipping boy for everything. So if there was some cut, real or imagined, everyone would blame DOGE.” – Elon Musk
Russell Vought, the administration’s Budget Director, leaked the administration’s plans in a recent press conference. Their goal is to partner with Congress to enact cuts to DOGE through the use of “executive tools.” Even with those challenges, Vought is quite bullish on continuing to go after the planned budget cuts.
“I don’t doubt that Congress is going to make accusations. Some of them come by their own watchdogs, but those watchdogs have been historically wrong. And that’s not going to stop us from moving forward to bank the DOGE cuts.” – Russell Vought
One possible reason for concern is that Musk has apparently stepped away from DOGE. Especially as more layoffs of federal workers could greatly strain that system in the months ahead. Days after announcing his departure, President Trump applauded Musk’s work, saying,
“This will be his last day, but not really, because he will always be with us, helping all the way.” – Donald Trump
Musk looks back at DOGE with feelings of regret. Recent government spending bills have been a major mismatch with his vision of belt tightening and order buster efficiency.
“I’m a little stuck in a bind. I was disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly.” – Elon Musk
Though DOGE has endured these criticisms and some setbacks, Musk defended his record running the agency. Its official web site doge.gov/savings features DOGE’s alleged savings and initiatives. Many public interest advocates and accountability professionals believe these assertions are missing the mark.