On Saturday, President Donald Trump expressed his satisfaction with Elon Musk’s contributions at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), but he also noted one shortcoming: Musk hasn’t pushed the envelope far enough. The president posted on Truth Social, praising the tech billionaire for “doing a great job,” but urging him to “be more aggressive.” “ELON IS DOING A GREAT JOB, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE HIM GET MORE AGGRESSIVE. REMEMBER, WE HAVE A COUNTRY TO SAVE, BUT ULTIMATELY, TO MAKE IT GREATER THAN EVER BEFORE. MAGA!” Trump wrote. Several hours after Trump’s post, Musk replied enthusiastically on X, writing, “Will do, Mr. President!”
According to the agency’s website, as of Feb. 17, 2025, DOGE’s total estimated savings are around $55 billion. The agency attributes this to “a combination of fraud detection/deletion, contract/lease cancelations, contract/lease renegotiations, asset sales, grant cancelations, workforce reductions, programmatic changes, and regulatory savings.”
A Look at DOGE’s Recent Efficiency Moves
Since its establishment on January 20, DOGE has faced numerous controversies, with several Democrats dismissing or openly condemning the agency. Critics have also raised concerns about the agency’s access to federal systems, including the Treasury Department’s payment system. Rep. Val Hoyle, D-Ore., criticized DOGE, stating in a statement that, “it’s impossible for us to do that important work when unelected billionaire Elon Musk and his lackeys are intent on dismantling the government.” She further accused Musk of attempting to “line his own pockets and rip off Americans.”
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency partnered with the Department of Government Efficiency to halt more than $67 million in grant funds originally assigned to support ex-President Joe Biden’s “environmental justice” initiative, The Post has learned. This week, the EPA and the Elon Musk-led DOGE identified 21 grants totaling $77.1 million that had been awarded to 20 progressive nonprofits and universities. As a result, the Trump administration will withhold $67.4 million in outstanding payments, according to officials. DOGE also uncovered $4.7 trillion in untraceable Treasury spending and Social Security payments going to people over 120 years old—is this government incompetence or outright fraud? I say it’s a little bit of both.