Athira Sethu
Kochi, 24 April 2025
Elon Musk is scaling back his involvement in the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), potentially resulting in restructuring the way the department operates, reported Reuters. DOGE was established by President Trump to eliminate government jobs and services for saving costs.
Musk’s withdrawal has sparked debate on what will become of DOGE post his exit. His term was to expire in May, and most government employees have not appreciated the reforms DOGE has implemented. Musk’s austerity measures, such as laying off employees and cutting services, did not endear him to most workers. Some government officials also felt Musk withdrew their rights to decide on hiring and firing employees.
There have been clashes between Musk and Trump cabinet members. For instance, in March, Secretary of State Marco Rubio clashed with Musk over his influence on USAID, and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy challenged Musk over proposals to fire air traffic controllers. With Musk taking a step back, cabinet members will have greater control over budgets and decisions. They won’t require Musk’s approval anymore, which may make it simpler for them to make changes.
A major shift is that agency leaders will now have a larger voice in how funds are spent. Cabinet members no longer have to get Musk’s approval to implement their own budget-cutting measures. Further, the young engineers Musk brought aboard for DOGE may lose some of their clout as their moves are closely monitored.
Despite Musk retreating, there is a belief that DOGE will keep going. Some of the reforms that Musk initiated, such as the layoff of workers and reforming the government agencies, have already taken effect. These reforms are difficult to reverse, and the departments will not likely reverse the layoffs DOGE has implemented.
Musk has been instrumental in these shifts, but with him taking a step back to work on his businesses, it’s uncertain who will become the leader of DOGE. Amy Gleason is one such candidate, as she was made acting administrator of DOGE in February.
