Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy have revealed more about their plans to collaborate with President-elect Donald Trump on a new initiative called the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The project's goal is to streamline the federal government by cutting unnecessary regulations, reducing the size of the government workforce, and eliminating wasteful spending. The team believes these changes will save taxpayers billions of dollars and improve government efficiency.

In a Wall Street Journal op-ed published on November 20, Musk and Ramaswamy explained that many federal regulations exceed the powers granted to Congress and hold back economic growth. To address this, they plan to review these regulations in light of recent Supreme Court rulings like West Virginia v. EPA and Loper Bright v. Raimondo. They believe these rulings could help justify large-scale regulatory rollbacks through executive action.

Improving Government Efficiency: Addressing Procurement Failures at the Pentagon

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) plan also includes proposals for major staff reductions across federal agencies, aiming to align the workforce with constitutionally defined responsibilities. The initiative suggests offering incentives for early retirement and voluntary severance, as well as requiring federal employees to return to in-office work schedules, with the hope of encouraging voluntary resignations.

In terms of spending, DOGE targets over $500 billion in annual expenditures that Musk and Ramaswamy believe are either unauthorized or misused. This includes funding for international grants, public broadcasting, and organizations such as Planned Parenthood. They also point to the Pentagon’s failure to pass audits for seven years as a sign of inefficiency, and see an opportunity to save by improving procurement processes.

Critics, including federal employee unions, argue that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) plan overlooks the realities of government operations and could overstep executive authority. However, Musk and Ramaswamy defend their approach, claiming it will reduce bureaucratic inefficiencies and realign the federal government with constitutional principles. They aim to achieve this goal by July 4, 2026.