The world’s richest man visited the U.S. Capitol on Thursday on a mission to reduce federal government waste and regulations.
Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, the co-head of President-elect Donald Trump’s new Department of Government Efficiency, met with House and Senate Republicans on Thursday. Musk was joined by entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, the other co-leader of DOGE.
Both the House and Senate have created DOGE caucuses to support Trump’s effort.
U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst said she shared her plans with Ramaswamy and Musk.
Not everyone is excited. U.S. Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., called DOGE “unconstitutional and illegal” during an appearance on “CNN Newsroom” on Thursday.
“You know, they haven’t asked to meet with me, but the impoundment of funds that have been appropriated by the Congress is unconstitutional and illegal,” Lofgren said.
Trump recently picked William McGinley to serve as Counsel to the Department of Government Efficiency.
“Bill will work with Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy, and their team of incredible pioneers at DOGE, to rebuild a U.S. Government that truly serves the People,” Trump said. “Bill will play a crucial role in liberating our Economy from burdensome Regulations, excess spending, and Government waste.”
DOGE will advise Trump, but Musk and Ramaswamy won’t work for the federal government, allowing both men to bypass financial disclosure requirements.
Musk has said he wants to cut $2 trillion from the federal government’s $6.75 trillion budget in a year, a Herculean task considering that much of that spending is mandatory. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget has suggested saving $2 trillion over a decade is more reachable goal.
The Government Accountability Office, which serves as the research arm of Congress, estimated annual fraud losses cost taxpayers between $233 billion and $521 billion annually, in a report in April. The fraud estimate’s range represents 3% to 7% of average federal obligations. The Office of Management and Budget publicly questioned that estimate, calling it “not plausible.”
Days after winning another term, Trump said DOGE will allow his next administration to “dismantle government bureaucracy, slash excess regulation, cut wasteful expenditures and restructure federal agencies.”
Trump set lofty goals for the new group.
“It will become, potentially, ‘The Manhattan Project,’ of our time,” Trump’s announcement said. “Republican politicians have dreamed about the objectives of ‘DOGE’ for a very long time.”
The original Manhattan Project was a research and development project during the second World War that led to the creation of nuclear weapons.
Ramaswamy and Musk have previously outlined their plans for DOGE, which could include mass federal layoffs and reductions in federal regulations. Musk and Ramaswamy said they won’t rely on action from Congress and will instead “focus particularly on driving change through executive action based on existing legislation rather than by passing new laws.”
