Musk’s D.O.G.E Aims to Axe $1 Trillion in Government Spending by End May

In a Thursday interview with Fox News’ Bret Baier on Special Report, Elon Musk unveiled an ambitious plan to reduce $1 trillion in government spending by the end of May.

The proposal, spearheaded by Musk’s newly established Department of Government Efficiency (D.O.G.E), aims to achieve these savings within just 130 days from the start of the Trump administration on 20 January.

Musk explained that the initiative would focus on slashing more than half of the $1.8 trillion allocated for non-defense discretionary programmes in 2024.

He explained:

“I think we will accomplish most of the work required to reduce the deficit by a trillion dollars within that time frame.”

The billionaire entrepreneur further stated his goal of trimming 15% from the US government's total annual spending, which amounted to $6.75 trillion in fiscal year 2024.

Musk maintained that these reductions could be made without compromising essential government services.

Despite his temporary federal employee status, which limits his role to 130 days per year, Musk presented the plan as part of a broader reform effort to overhaul government spending.

$1 Trillion Goal Still Far Out of Reach for D.O.G.E

The interview came just days after President Trump expressed confidence that he would be “satisfied” with the upcoming cuts spearheaded by D.O.G.E, which are expected in the next month or two.

Trump acknowledged that these sweeping reforms are politically risky, admitting that such large-scale cuts may not be popular.

A significant portion of federal spending is directed toward mandatory programs like Medicare and Social Security, where reductions are typically limited.

Musk has argued that these programs are riddled with fraud and inefficiencies, although he has not provided specific evidence to support these claims.

In response, D.O.G.E has deployed at least 10 staff members to the Social Security Administration to investigate waste.

However, recent data reveals that between 2015 and 2022, the Social Security Administration estimated $72 billion in improper payments, which constitutes less than 1% of total benefits, according to an inspector general's report.

Meanwhile, D.O.G.E’s website, criticised for inaccuracies and inflated figures, claims about $22 billion in contract savings and $130 billion in overall cost reductions—numbers that remain unsubstantiated and lack clear breakdowns.

Musk Downplays Workforce Reductions

Musk’s D.O.G.E initiative has been at the forefront of a wave of federal government layoffs, with several agencies announcing significant workforce reductions in recent weeks.

However, Musk downplayed the consequences of these cuts, claiming that “almost no one’s gotten fired.”

Despite his assertions, the Department of Health and Human Services revealed earlier this week that it would eliminate 10,000 jobs.

In March, the Department of Education announced plans to reduce its staff by 50%, while the Small Business Administration is cutting 43% of its workforce.

The Department of Veterans Affairs has also proposed eliminating 80,000 positions, and the Treasury Department indicated major reductions in a recent court filing.

D.O.G.E’s cost-cutting efforts, however, have faced substantial legal challenges.

Several proposed layoffs have been blocked by judges, and Musk’s team has encountered difficulties accessing critical systems and databases, such as those at the Social Security Administration.