President Trump signs an executive order integrating Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) into the federal government, aiming to reduce spending and streamline bureaucracy. Musk's appointment and DOGE's secretive operations have sparked controversy and legal challenges.
President Donald Trump and Elon Musk convened at the White House on Tuesday for a significant event: Trump's signing of an executive order pertaining to Musk's leadership of the Department of Government Efficiency ( DOGE ). The Associated Press gained access to a White House fact sheet outlining the order, which aims to facilitate Musk's endeavors in reducing federal spending. This marks Musk's first public discourse regarding his role overseeing DOGE .
Trump's appointment of Musk to head DOGE stems from his desire to curtail waste, fraud, and abuse within government spending and reduce the expansive federal workforce exceeding 2 million personnel. Musk, while acknowledging the presence of capable individuals in the federal bureaucracy, emphasized the need for accountability and characterized the bureaucracy as an 'unelected' fourth branch of government. He stressed the urgency of addressing the budget deficit and expressed his intention to implement 'common-sense controls' on federal spending, asserting that taxpayer dollars must be judiciously allocated and that cutting waste is not an extreme measure.Transparency, according to Musk, is paramount in fostering trust. He refuted criticisms that he was orchestrating a hostile takeover of the government, stating that the people had voted for substantial government reform, which is what they would receive. He reiterated the importance of democracy in this process. Trump corroborated, citing billions of dollars already identified through fraud and abuse investigations. He referenced a case in New York involving a hotel receiving $59 million in funding for housing migrants, characterizing them as 'illegal migrants.' However, The New York Times disputed this claim, asserting that the federal funds were appropriately allocated by FEMA under President Joseph R. Biden Jr. last year, stating that it was not a disaster relief grant and had not been spent on luxury hotels.DOGE, Trump's special commission tasked with slashing federal spending, was initially led by Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, who pledged to reduce billions from the federal budget and implement 'mass headcount reductions across the federal bureaucracy.' However, Ramaswamy recently departed DOGE as he contemplates a gubernatorial run in Ohio. Much of DOGE's work operates behind closed doors. Team members have been observed at various agencies, including the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Treasury Department, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, among others. Their presence is not publicly announced, and career staff members are on alert for unfamiliar faces in the corridors.Integrating DOGE into the government structure may grant it greater access to information across agencies. The agency could also potentially conduct much of its work in secrecy, despite some regulations on governmental disclosure remaining in place. For instance, the Executive Office of the President is generally exempt from many Freedom of Information Act requirements but is subject to the Presidential Records Act, which mandates the preservation of its records.Donald K. Sherman, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, expressed concerns that Trump has allowed Musk to wield 'unprecedented power and authority over government systems' with 'maximal secrecy and little-to-no accountability.' A lawsuit filed in federal court shortly after Trump's inauguration alleged that DOGE, by already operating in the months preceding the administration's start, violated the Federal Advisory Committee Act, a 1972 measure requiring advisory and other private committees within the executive branch to adhere to public disclosure rules regarding staffing and activities. The groups behind this lawsuit, comprising good government advocates and watchdog organizations, are currently reviewing Trump's order integrating DOGE into the government.
ELON MUSK DONALD TRUMP DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY DOGE FEDERAL SPENDING BUREAUCRACY PRESIDENTIAL ORDERS CONTROVERSY LEGAL CHALLENGES TRANSPARENCY ACCOUNTABILITY
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