Elon Musk to Lead Government Efficiency Initiative

Elon Musk has been appointed by President-elect Donald Trump to lead the non-governmental Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which aims to streamline federal operations and cut wasteful expenditures. The commission, co-chaired by Vivek Ramaswamy, is expected to identify at least $2 trillion in savings from the federal budget, with a focus on reducing the number of federal agencies by approximately 75%. While Musk anticipates completing the task well before the projected end date of July 4, 2026, details on its operations and funding remain unclear. Critics express concern over potential job losses among federal workers, as Musk and Ramaswamy plan to eliminate entire agencies. Additionally, the initiative has garnered international attention, with Japanese officials expressing interest in applying similar efficiency measures in their own government. However, Musk's ties to the defense industry may complicate efforts to reduce military spending, which constitutes a significant portion of the federal budget.