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‘Just never been anything like DOGE’: Inside Elon Musk’s hostile takeover of government in Trump’s first 100 days

CNN's profile
CNN
8h ago

Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has aggressively restructured the federal government under Donald Trump's first 100 days, slashing budgets and disrupting agencies, often bypassing norms and laws. This initiative led to the dismissal of over 100,000 government employees, impacting crucial sectors like public health and diplomacy, while Musk's exaggerated claims of savings have been met with skepticism. Despite Musk's impending pullback, his influence persists through his lieutenants embedded in key governmental positions, potentially prolonging DOGE's impact. The political fallout is beginning to manifest with public backlash and early Democratic victories, as the controversial cuts become a focal point for political opposition. Legal challenges to DOGE's actions are mounting, questioning the legality and sustainability of these drastic measures, which have already sown chaos across federal agencies like Social Security and the IRS.

‘Just never been anything like DOGE’: Inside Elon Musk’s hostile takeover of government in Trump’s first 100 days

Elon Musk spearheaded the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which aggressively cut government spending and reduced workforce by over 100,000 within Trump's first 100 days, bypassing norms and sometimes laws.

Musk's DOGE initiative, powered by young coders, has made sweeping changes, including dismantling agencies and accessing sensitive government systems, raising concerns over data security and administrative chaos.

Despite initially claiming that DOGE could save $2 trillion, Musk revised the goal to $150 billion, with experts questioning the validity of the reported $160 billion savings, arguing that actual savings might be far less.

Political backlash against DOGE is growing, with town halls filled with critics and early Democratic electoral victories, positioning Musk and DOGE as central issues in upcoming political campaigns.

Legal challenges have arisen against DOGE's drastic actions, including lawsuits related to the dismantling of agencies and unauthorized data access, with critics arguing these actions create more chaos than efficiency.

Musk's influence remains entrenched in the government through his lieutenants, even as he steps back, potentially extending DOGE's impact and its controversial strategies beyond his direct involvement.

DOGE's aggressive cuts have led to significant disruption in federal agencies like Social Security and the IRS, causing widespread disarray and legal disputes over the legality and sustainability of these measures.

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