Opinion: Musk-Led DOGE Department's Actual Circulation may be Much Lower than $10 Billion

BlockBeats News, Yesterday, Musk posted on X, saying, "As my time as a special government employee is coming to an end, I want to thank President Trump for giving me this opportunity to cut wasteful spending. The mission of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life for the entire government."

Analysis points out that advisory councils like DOGE have no authority to cut federal spending, close agencies, or cancel contracts. Their recommendations require presidential or appointee action, and most cost-saving measures require congressional legislation. This means that Trump should have pushed for legislation to legalize DOGE reforms, but he did not do so. The recent budget passed by the House only approved $9.3 billion in agency cuts, falling short of Musk's initial $2 trillion annual savings target by 5%.

"DOGE makes a lot of noise but delivers little," said Jessica Riedl, a budget analyst at the Manhattan Institute. "Actual savings may be far less than $10 billion."

The political reality exposes the essence of DOGE, which may only be a superficial cost-cutting performance, leaving the "ailments" of the federal budget largely untouched. Members of Congress firmly control various agencies of the executive branch, and even Republicans are unwilling to let vigilantes like Musk interfere with their turf. (Jinshi)