A judge has ruled that Elon Musk must face a lawsuit alleging he unlawfully seized excessive power as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The plaintiffs claim Musk overstepped his authority by taking drastic actions like eliminating agencies and implementing mass firings without Senate confirmation, actions they argue went beyond the scope of President Trump’s executive orders. The court rejected the government’s defense that Musk held no formal office, stating that the alleged unlawful creation of an office and seizure of power only strengthens the need for scrutiny under the Appointments Clause, as evading checks and balances is not permissible.
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During a lunch for Kennedy Center board members, former President Trump stated that a past president, whom he “actually likes,” expressed a wish to have taken the actions Trump is currently taking regarding Iran. When pressed for details, Trump declined to identify the former president, citing a desire to avoid causing them trouble. He described the individual as a smart person who likes him, suggesting that person might even be proud of the revealed sentiment.
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The Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) drastically reduced National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) funding, cancelling over $100 million in projected grants. This initiative, which utilized ChatGPT to identify projects related to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), led to the rejection of numerous proposals. Notably, a $350,000 grant for the High Point Museum’s HVAC system replacement was cancelled after being flagged as “#DEI” by the AI, despite its primary purpose being artifact preservation and energy efficiency. These actions, challenged in court as unconstitutional discrimination, appear to have extended beyond explicit DEI initiatives, even impacting projects deemed “harmless” by NEH officials.
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Despite initial boasts of significant budget cuts, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under Elon Musk’s leadership has fallen far short of its $2 trillion savings goal. A recent deposition revealed that DOGE did not reduce the federal deficit, and its cost-cutting efforts, including the cancellation of DEI grants, were criticized for potentially harming individuals without achieving the stated objective. Furthermore, analyses suggest that DOGE’s actions may have inadvertently increased government spending and reduced revenue, prompting plans to rehire some federal positions.
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A judge has ordered the immediate removal of deposition clips from members of DOGE that had previously been uploaded by the Modern Language Association. These depositions, including one where a member struggled to define DEI, gained significant viral attention. The Modern Language Association, along with the American Council of Learned Societies and the American Historical Association, are currently suing the National Endowment for the Humanities and others regarding substantial grant cuts made by DOGE.
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A whistleblower complaint alleges a former Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) employee improperly accessed sensitive Social Security Administration databases, intending to share the personal information of over 500 million Americans with a private employer. Investigations are underway by the Social Security’s Office of Inspector General and the Government Accountability Office into this potential data breach, which is being described as one of the largest in U.S. history. These allegations follow previous concerns regarding DOGE’s access to Social Security data and possible misuse for political gain.
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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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Donald Trump celebrated the elimination of federal jobs in a recent Truth Social post, sharing a screenshot from the White House’s Rapid Response account that noted the lowest level of government job positions since 2014, with 271,000 roles abolished. This occurred after Trump’s election in 2024, during which he appointed Elon Musk to co-lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a group purposed with making major cuts to the government. Though Musk left the DOGE in May, and the OPM Director later stated the organization no longer exists, government workers continue to lose jobs. Despite these actions, the unemployment rate in November was 4.6%, and Trump’s approval rating among Americans is only at 39%.
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Elon Musk’s government efficiency department, DOGE, claimed to have made over 29,000 cuts to the federal government, but failed to reduce spending as promised. A New York Times analysis revealed that many of the claimed savings were inaccurate, with incorrect figures accounting for a large portion of the cuts. Although DOGE made numerous smaller cuts, the larger claims were found to be riddled with errors, exaggerations, and even double-counting of savings. Ultimately, the investigation suggests DOGE’s focus was not solely on budget cutting, but also potentially on deception.
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In a recent revelation, Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a government agency spearheaded by Elon Musk, was confirmed to have been terminated. OPM Director Scott Kupor stated that DOGE’s functions were absorbed by the OPM after Musk’s departure last May. Despite Musk’s initial projections of saving the government a trillion dollars, DOGE ultimately reported savings of $214 billion, an amount that may be overstated. The agency faced criticism and legal challenges, ultimately leading to debates on its efficacy and the potential loss of valuable talent due to its practices.
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John Q. Hosedrinker