Reports from federal agencies or official announcements regarding workforce changes

Musk and Ramaswamy to Lead DOGE; Plan $500 Billion Cuts, Agency Eliminations, Free Tax App

Nov 20, 2024, 07:36 PM

President-elect Donald Trump has appointed Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to lead the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), aiming to reform federal operations through significant spending cuts and regulatory rollbacks. Musk and Ramaswamy have outlined plans to eliminate entire federal agencies, referencing "Javier Milei-style cuts," and reduce the federal workforce through "mass head-count reductions." Their strategy includes enforcing strict in-person office attendance to encourage resignations and using recent Supreme Court rulings to limit regulatory overreach by removing "unauthorized spending." In an opinion piece published in the Wall Street Journal titled "The DOGE Plan to Reform Government," Musk and Ramaswamy detailed their approach to cut up to $500 billion in federal spending. They propose leveraging legal authority to shut down agencies like the FBI, IRS, and the Department of Education. Additionally, they are considering the development of a free tax filing mobile app to simplify tax filing for Americans. Support for DOGE is growing within Congress, with Representatives Aaron Bean and Pete Sessions leading the Delivering Outstanding Government Efficiency (DOGE) Caucus to back the initiative. Other members include Jeff Duncan, Maria Salazar, Josh Brecheen, Gary Palmer, and Cory Mills. The plan has sparked debate over its feasibility and potential impact on federal employees, with over 1 million workers potentially affected by the crackdown on remote work and possible mass layoffs. The initiative also involves using advanced technology to streamline government functions.