Rep. Tim Scott, R-S.C., discusses the way forward for DOGE with out Elon Musk on ‘Varney & Co.’
Elon Musk ended his tenure with the Trump administration on Wednesday evening, thanking the president and vowing that the Division of Authorities Effectivity (DOGE) would proceed with out him. The controversial company, which was began by President Donald Trump and Musk, claims to have saved $175B by means of its cost-cutting efforts.
Though Musk left the White Home disagreeing with Trump over the “massive, stunning invoice,” he appeared to finish his tenure on good phrases with the president.
“As my scheduled time as a Particular Authorities Worker involves an finish, I wish to thank [Trump] for the chance to cut back wasteful spending,” Musk wrote in a submit on X.
Then-President-elect Donald Trump walks with Elon Musk earlier than attending a viewing of the launch of the sixth check flight of the SpaceX Starship rocket, in Brownsville, Texas, Nov. 19, 2024. (Brandon Bell/Pool through REUTERS TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY / Reuters)
Workforce overhaul
Musk vowed to chop authorities spending and hit the bottom operating with a deferred resignation program, which supplied authorities workers the choice of resigning or returning to in-office work. Roughly 75,000 federal workers who accepted the deal will retain pay and advantages till Sept. 30.
Because the administration confronted backlash for this system, White Home Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt mentioned that those that “don’t wish to work within the workplace and contribute to creating America nice once more, then they’re free to decide on a distinct line of labor, and the Trump Administration will present a really beneficiant payout of 8 months.”
In his subsequent massive transfer, Musk started a controversial initiative that required all federal workers to ship weekly emails detailing what they’d completed. Whereas employees had been instructed to not share categorized info, they had been informed to put in writing “roughly 5 bullets” and CC their managers.
The e-mail obtained additional backlash, forcing Leavitt to defend this measure as nicely.
“That is to make sure that federal employees are usually not ripping off American taxpayers, that they’re displaying as much as the workplace and that they’re doing their jobs. And it’s a quite simple activity to finish.”
Elon Musk at Trump’s deal with to Congress. (Getty Pictures / Getty Pictures)
ELON MUSK PLEDGES RETURN TO ’24/7′ WORK AT HIS FIRMS AFTER WIDESPREAD X OUTAGE
USAID cuts
DOGE as soon as once more discovered itself on the heart of controversy when it focused the U.S. Company for Worldwide Growth (USAID).
USAID’s web site went darkish, and workers had been barred from coming into its headquarters on Feb. 3, whereas others had their work placed on maintain. The Trump administration then introduced that every one USAID direct-hire personnel can be placed on administrative go away.
In early March, Secretary of State Marco Rubio introduced that 83% of USAID applications can be canceled following the conclusion of DOGE’s six-week evaluate.
The State Division later unveiled its plans to soak up the remaining USAID applications, breaking away from the company’s historical past of performing impartial of a federal division. This led to the chopping of greater than 4,600 personnel, which included the 1,500 that had already been lower.
TOP 5 DOGE DISRUPTORS CHALLENGING ELON MUSK’S CRUSADE AGAINST GOVERNMENT BLOAT
Ending DEI
Following Trump’s govt order to finish authorities range, fairness, and inclusion (DEI) applications, DOGE introduced the American folks would save over $1 billion by means of the elimination of 104 DEI-related contracts. The canceled contracts had been related to USAID, the Division of Schooling, the FAA and the EPA, amongst others.
The elimination of those applications, which gained prominence after George Floyd’s loss of life in 2020, sparked backlash as some argued that they had been solely meant to create equal alternatives.
On Tuesday, the Labor Division mentioned it lower $400 million in spending by means of DOGE’s efforts to roll again DEI grants associated to the American Rescue Plan Act. This was along with different cuts made to the Biden-era laws, such because the creation of an “Workplace of the Unemployed Staff’ Advocate” and funding an “Equitable Entry Director.”
DOGE SHOULD ‘DEFINITELY’ LOOK AT FEDERAL RESERVE COSTS, ELON MUSK SAYS
Elon Musk exhibits off his t-shirt studying “Tech Assist” whereas talking on the first cupboard assembly hosted by U.S. President Donald Trump, on the White Home in Washington, DC, Feb. 26, 2025. (REUTERS/Brian Snyder / Reuters)
Viral moments
Musk made a number of headlines throughout his tenure at DOGE. From his son, Æ A-12 — often known as “Lil X” — stealing the present within the Oval Workplace to a Tesla picture shoot with Trump on the White Home and interviews with ‘Large Balls’ and the DOGE workforce, Musk has constantly been within the highlight for months.
As Trump’s opponents routinely insisted that Musk was actually operating the present, the Tesla founder donned a “Tech Assist” shirt throughout a cupboard assembly, insisting he was solely a part of the administration relatively than its chief.
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Fox Information Digital’s Andrew Mark Miller, Charles Creitz, Eric Revell, Emma Colton and Diana Stancy contributed to this report.
