Musk to Expand DOGE Staff as Federal Cuts Deepen

Elon Musk plans to double the staff of the Department of Government Efficiency amid sweeping federal workforce reductions per a Fox Business report today. The DOGE head aims to bolster his team’s mission to slash 2 trillion dollars in government spending by 2029. This move underscores Musk’s growing clout in Trump’s administration as a driver of leaner governance.

Since taking DOGE’s helm in January Musk has axed over 50000 federal jobs targeting what he calls bloated bureaucracy. His team canceled 3000 contracts worth 15 billion dollars including Pentagon deals angering defense hawks. Doubling staff from 100 to 200 aims to accelerate these cuts despite pushback from unions and Congress.

Trump tapped Musk for DOGE after the billionaire’s 2024 campaign pledge to gut government waste won voter applause. The department’s early wins include trimming 10 percent of USDA staff and halting 5 billion dollars in green energy grants. Musk frames this as a return to fiscal sanity though critics decry lost jobs and services.

Federal workers fear DOGE’s expansion signals more pink slips with Musk eyeing agencies like the IRS next. He argues taxpayers save 100 dollars for every dollar spent on his team’s oversight. Lawsuits pile up claiming DOGE oversteps its authority a fight Musk relishes as a test of efficiency over entitlement.

Supporters laud Musk as a patriot wielding his Tesla-honed skills to fix a broken system. They point to 8 billion dollars in savings already banked per Treasury estimates. Detractors warn his aggressive pace risks gutting vital programs like Medicare with no clear replacement plan yet.

Musk’s staff boost comes as DOGE audits reveal 20 percent of federal spending lacks proper documentation. He’s demanded agencies justify every dollar or face elimination a stance cheered by small-government advocates. This hardline approach has made him a lightning rod in D.C. with protests outside his office weekly.

The expansion aligns with Trump’s vow to shrink Washington’s footprint though some GOP allies balk at the speed. Musk shrugs off resistance tweeting he’d rather be feared than loved if it means results. His doubled team now faces the Herculean task of proving cuts can coexist with a functioning state.

Americans feel the ripple effects as canceled projects stall local economies from Ohio to Oregon. Musk bets his DOGE gamble will spark private sector growth to fill the void. Whether this vision holds will define his legacy and Trump’s second term economic record.