The effectiveness of Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is a matter of perspective, though it has become increasingly evident that the agency fell short of its chief aim: significantly curbing federal expenditures.
Just a fortnight ago, Musk notably labeled DOGE as only being âa little bit successfulâ during a podcast appearance, marking an uncharacteristic admission that DOGE fell short of expectations. More recently, on a separate occasion, Musk reiterated baseless claims originally made during Donald Trump's campaign, alleging rampant government fraud that seemingly persisted despite DOGE's initiatives. On the social media platform X, Musk speculated that fraud could account for roughly 20% of the Federal budget, equating to about $1.5 trillion annuallyâpotentially even more.
Musk's departure from DOGE occurred in May after disputes with Trump, stemming from concerns that a budget bill favored by Trump might endanger DOGE's work. Presently, Musk expresses uncertainty about whether his efforts with DOGE justified the deep dive into governmental functions. Although he described DOGE as his âbest side questâ during a podcast in December, the billionaire admitted that, in hindsight, he might not have taken on the role of agency head.
âI mean, no, I donât think so,â Musk reflected. âWould I do it? I mean, I probably ⌠I donât know.â
In another recent podcast, Musk suggested that attempting to apply business principles to U.S. government operations was a learning experience, reports The Guardian. âBest to avoid politics where possible,â he advised.
As Musk balances propagating fraud allegations while downplaying DOGE's capability to resolve them, supporters from governmental, Silicon Valley, and X backgrounds continue to champion DOGE as a much-needed force in governmental efficiency.