Late last month, a chastened-looking Musk admitted that DOGE has been “not as effective as I’d like.” The quasi-agency claims that it has so far saved the U.S. government $170 billion, mostly by firing employees, repealing regulations, and canceling contracts and grants. But it hasn’t provided evidence for—or has greatly exaggerated —most of these savings. In reality, DOGE’s slapdash approach to slashing government will, by one estimate , cost taxpayers an additional $135 billion this year. And actual federal spending has been rising since President Donald Trump took office.
What did Elon Musk actually hope to achieve at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)?
Late last month, a chastened-looking Musk admitted that DOGE has been “not as effective as I’d like.” The quasi-agency claims that it has so far saved the U.S. government $170 billion, mostly by firing employees, repealing regulations, and canceling contracts and grants. But it hasn’t provided evidence for—or has greatly exaggerated—most of these savings. In reality, DOGE’s slapdash approach to slashing government will, by one estimate, cost taxpayers an additional $135 billion this year. And actual federal spending has been rising since President Donald Trump took office.
As Musk now pares back his
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