Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, has been appointed to officially join President Trump’s administration as head of the newly formed U.S. Office of Management and Budget Efficiency, a second federal agency aimed at streamlining government spending for greater efficiency.
That’s a tough act to follow – you’ve probably already reached peak irony!
Throughout the elections, Elon Musk, already CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, effectively served as de facto head of X, xAI, Neuralink, and The Boring Company, has floated the idea of taking on another role: guiding a new division within the Trump administration aimed at increasing the efficiency of federal government.
Musk has dubbed it the “Division of Authorities Effectivity”, a clever moniker that just so happens to spell out ‘DOGE’, a nod to his evident fondness for the meme.
Apparently, Donald Trump appears to be inclined towards moving forward with this idea.
In a surprise move, Elon Musk was named head of a newly launched division, alongside Vivek Ramaswamy, in a live announcement today.
Noted entrepreneur and innovator Elon Musk, partnering with American patriot Vivek Ramaswamy, will spearhead the Division of Authorities Effectivity (DOGE). Together, these outstanding individuals will lay the groundwork for my administration to dismantle bureaucratic barriers, eliminate unnecessary regulations, reduce wasteful spending, and revitalize federal agencies – pivotal to the “Save America” movement. “When implemented, this initiative will undoubtedly send shockwaves throughout the entire system, directly impacting a significant number of individuals involved in bureaucratic inefficiencies.” Musk.
Intriguingly, despite the existence of a federal agency dedicated to cutting down on government inefficiencies and promoting effectiveness – the Government Accountability Office (GAO) – it is precisely what’s most ironic.
The GAO’s primary aims are:
- Conducting thorough audits of company operations to verify the effective and efficient utilization of federal funds.
- Conducting a thorough inquiry into claims of illicit and unprofessional conduct.
- Effectively, authorities package and insurance policies endeavour to assemble their goals.
- Conducting in-depth coverage analyses to inform strategic decisions and crafting comprehensive outlines for Congressional consideration.
- issuing authorized choices and opinions;
- Advising Congress and Heads of Government Agencies on Strategies to Enhance Environmental Sustainability and Operational Efficiency?
While sharing similarities with Elon Musk’s descriptions of DOGE, President Trump has not delved deeply into specifics beyond the vague notion that this initiative will “minimize waste”.
The politician also possesses a convoluted argument as he juxtaposes the cost-cutting initiative with “The Manhattan Project”, a massive and expensive government endeavour that shares no clear parallels.
The statement appears to be fictional and cannot be verified. However, assuming an accurate quote from Trump:
It will undoubtedly become the ultimate test of its kind, rivaling the iconic “Manhattan Project”. Republican politicians have long coveted the goals of “DOGE”. To drive this sort of drastic change, the Division of Authorities Effectivity will present recommendation and steering from outdoors of Authorities, and can accomplice with the White Home and Workplace of Administration & Funds to drive giant scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial method to Authorities by no means seen earlier than.
The assertion also states that DOGE will only operate until July 4, 2026?
Elon Musk has previously suggested reducing at least $2 trillion from the $6.5 trillion US federal budget.