Musk Allies Argue DOGE’s Goal Was Government Overhaul, Not Finding $2T in Fraud

DOGE failed to uncover the vast $2 trillion in federal fraud that some reports say Elon Musk predicted, but his allies in government and Silicon Valley are reframing its mission as a broader push to remake how the federal government operates. Five unnamed allies told The Guardian that DOGE’s purpose was to “fundamentally” reform government by challenging hiring and firing taboos, expanding the use of untested technologies, and lowering barriers for boundary-pushing startups seeking federal contracts so the federal government could operate more like a company.

The Cato Institute praised DOGE for producing “the largest peacetime workforce cut on record,” while acknowledging it had little measurable effect on federal spending. Cato noted DOGE’s target was to reduce the budget in absolute real terms and concluded DOGE did not cut spending by that or other standards.

DOGE still exists as a decentralized entity, with staffers placed in various agencies to continue looking for waste and alleged fraud. Some officials worry the White House could re-empower DOGE for further government-wide cuts, though Musk has said he would not lead a DOGE-like effort again, a position Cato said the evidence supports.

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Business, Tech, Musk, Doge, Cato Institute, Brookings, Federal Workforce