Elon Musk’s radical plan to slash $2 trillion from U.S. federal spending through the Department of Government Efficiency (D.O.G.E.) continues creating chaos on Capitol Hill. What’s surprising now is Biden’s allies are throwing their weight behind parts of the billionaire’s cost-cutting agenda.
Elon’s crusade, part of Donald Trump’s government overhaul, has brought in unlikely alliances, heated debates, and a flurry of activity in Washington. Senator Bernie Sanders, known for his war on defense contractors, shocked his own party by backing Elon’s focus on slashing Pentagon waste.
“The Pentagon, with its $886 billion budget, just failed its seventh audit. Billions are unaccounted for,” Sanders said, calling the system corrupt.
Representative Ro Khanna, a Silicon Valley Democrat, declared, “Defense contractors have been fleecing the American people for far too long.”
Biden allies embrace the D.O.G.E revolution
D.O.G.E, co-led with fellow billionaire Vivek Ramaswamy, has gained real traction among Democrats. Florida Representative Jared Moskowitz became the first Democrat to join the D.O.G.E caucus, a group dedicated to Elon’s government efficiency goals.
Ohio Democrat Greg Landsman joined soon after, saying, “You wanna be in the room where it happens.” The inaugural D.O.G.E caucus meeting in December saw an unexpected mix of attendees, including Democrats Steven Horsford of Nevada and Val Hoyle of Oregon.
Horsford made his stance clear: “You can’t have a seat at the table if you’re not in the room.” Hoyle, meanwhile, dismissed any notion that efficiency is a partisan issue. “If you think there aren’t ways to make government more efficient, you’re not living in the real world,” she said.
The support doesn’t mean Elon has free rein. Khanna has drawn clear lines in the sand, vowing to oppose cuts to programs like Medicare, veterans’ benefits, and the Environmental Protection Agency. Hoyle echoed similar sentiments, supporting moves to lower drug prices but opposing cuts to essential services like Social Security, the postal service, and the FAA.
Elon’s Pentagon plans draw fire
However, Elon’s critics think that his vision is too extreme to succeed without harming critical services. Public policy professor Don Moynihan spelled out the math: “You can’t cut $2 trillion without hitting popular programs like Social Security and veterans’ benefits. They make up two-thirds of the budget.”
Moynihan warned that achieving Elon’s ambitious goals would require “draconian cuts” across the board, from defense to social safety nets.
Despite this, Elon’s plan to tackle defense spending has drawn specific praise. His focus on the Pentagon—historically a black hole for taxpayer dollars—aligns with long-standing Democratic concerns about military waste.
Sanders pointed to the failure of only 13 senators to oppose what he called “a defense budget full of fraud.” But while Elon and his Democratic allies seem united on defense cuts, the broader plan for a $2 trillion reduction raises significant doubts.
Elon comes after the Federal Reserve
Elon is also very unhappy with the Federal Reserve. He blasted the institution as “absurdly overstaffed,” citing its 24,000 employees across 12 regional banks. His comments came after the Fed announced its hawkish rate cut, leaving markets rattled and drawing Trump’s ire.
“We’re trimming the fat,” the president has said, standing firmly behind Elon’s cost-cutting agenda. “No one gets to sit around collecting a paycheck for doing nothing — not even Jerome Powell.”
Florida’s Moskowitz criticized the Department of Homeland Security, calling it “too big.” Elon’s proposal to shut down certain agencies and fire thousands of civil servants has drawn sharp reactions from the left.
Yet, figures like Fetterman have praised his efforts, with the Pennsylvania senator calling Elon’s economic contributions undeniable. Even as the debate rages, Elon’s influence in Washington continues to grow.
The fact remains: cutting $2 trillion without affecting core programs like Medicare and Social Security is quite literally a Herculean task.
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