By John Q. Hosedrinker 
While the true impact of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is debatable, it appears to have had little effect on federal spending, its primary objective. Musk himself has downplayed the department’s success, even admitting it didn’t fully meet expectations. Recently, Musk revived claims of widespread government fraud, implying that DOGE failed to address the issue. After leaving DOGE, Musk expressed doubts about the endeavor, stating he likely wouldn’t repeat the experience.
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DOGE did not find $2T in fraud, but that doesn’t matter, Musk allies say. The whole DOGE project, spearheaded by allies of Elon Musk, was never really about uncovering massive government fraud, despite the initial fanfare and lofty promises. In fact, the project’s primary goal, to identify and recoup trillions of dollars in fraudulent government spending, was never realized. The initial figure of $2 trillion in savings touted by Musk quickly shrank, and actual results were minimal, leading many to question its true effectiveness.
Musk himself seemed to acknowledge this lack of success, downplaying DOGE’s impact on a podcast. This shift in narrative is a common tactic, of course, a way to pivot from unfulfilled promises and maintain a semblance of credibility.
The truth is, even with all the hype and talk of transparency, much of DOGE’s activities remained shrouded in mystery. The promised cost-cutting tracker was riddled with errors, and the agency’s accounting methods were unreliable. It becomes increasingly clear that DOGE’s goal was not efficiency or savings.
But the failure to find the promised $2 trillion doesn’t seem to faze Musk’s allies. They’ve shifted the narrative, insisting that the “higher purpose” of DOGE was something beyond mere budget cuts. They are now focusing on a supposed fundamental reform of the government, aimed at eliminating “taboos” around hiring and firing, promoting the use of untested technologies, and making it easier for boundary-pushing start-ups to win federal contracts. Essentially, the goal is to make the federal government operate more like a company, a move that benefits the business interests of Musk and his allies.
This revised justification for DOGE serves as a convenient shield against criticism. By framing the project’s value in terms of a larger vision, they can sidestep the fact that their initial claims of finding and eliminating massive fraud were unfounded.
This isn’t just about shifting goals, though, it’s about a complete rewriting of the narrative. The stated aim was to cut government waste, but in reality, there was no noticeable impact on the federal budget after the cuts began. Instead of savings, spending actually increased. This is the hallmark of the entire exercise.
The Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank, does celebrate DOGE for having produced “the largest peacetime workforce cut on record”. Regardless of its impact on federal spending, the project was still considered a success. It all goes back to the real reason, of course, revenge against those that dared to investigate Musk.
The focus on “higher purpose” is a distraction. The primary concern is that the initiative was intended to protect Musk, and the agencies were meant to investigate him. The actual goal was the data of millions of Americans, dismantling oversight and regulation, and clearing the way for future data manipulation.
This is where the real story lies. The government was not there to root out government waste. The data that was collected was meant to be used for something else.
Furthermore, reports have surfaced regarding potential breaches of confidential data and suspicious log-in attempts from foreign IP addresses. This raises serious questions about the security of the data collected and whether it could have fallen into the wrong hands. There’s also the connection between Musk and Putin.
It’s clear that the project’s true intentions were never about government efficiency or finding fraud. It was a calculated move to weaken government oversight and regulations, protect Musk and his companies from investigations, and gain access to sensitive data for purposes that extend far beyond cost-cutting.
In short, the entire DOGE project was a smokescreen for something much more sinister. The data theft, election fraud, and interference in US institutions, were all part of the higher purpose.