Costs associated with layoffs: Redundant employees come with a price tag, just like any other expenditure for Elon Musk.
HEY THERE! Let's delve into the wild world of government efficiency, shall we? Remember the big promises made by President Trump and Elon Musk? About trimming the federal fat and giving you, dear taxpayer, a "DOGE dividend?" Well, turns out that $160 billion announcement ain't all it's cracked up to be.
You see, Musk initially promised to save an eye-popping $2 trillion. However, the savings from his so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) falls short, representing barely 16% of his original pledge. To put it in perspective, this is lower than 8% of the actual federal spending in 2024! Ouch!
The numbers game gets even more questionable when we take a closer look at the methods employed by DOGE. Experts say that Musk's approach resembles the chaotic, lightning-fast strategies he used to slash Twitter's workforce. But, as we all know, not all situations are cut from the same cloth.
By now, you might be wondering: what kinds of costs are we talking about? Well, the Partnership for Public Service, a nonprofit organization, estimates that the consequences of DOGE's actions could amount to a staggering $135 billion this fiscal year. This figure includes the cost of firings, rehiring, lost productivity, and paid leave for thousands of workers.
At the Internal Revenue Service alone, an exodus of 32,000 employees could cost nearly $9 billion in revenue by 2026. And let's not forget about the legal expenses! With approximately 30 lawsuits and appeals related to Trump's agenda, DOGE is not only falling short on savings but also inflicting costs on taxpayers that will stick around for quite some time.
Critics argue that Musk's boasts about saving money are nothing but smoke and mirrors, and they have a point. Max Stier, the chief executive of the Partnership for Public Service, puts it bluntly: "Not only is Musk vastly overinflating the money he has saved, he is not accounting for the exponentially larger waste that he is creating."
So, there you have it. The DOGE Department might've claimed $160 billion in savings, but the reality is far more murky. Taxpayers are footing the bill for inefficiencies, legal battles, and questionable management strategies. But hey, at least Musk seems happy, right? After all, he calls it "monumental and historic." Go figure!
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. The author and publisher are not responsible for any actions taken based on the information provided herein.
© 2025 The New York Times Company
- The initial $2 trillion savings pledge by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is just 16% of the original promise, which is lower than 8% of the actual federal spending in 2024.
- Musk's approach at DOGE resembles the chaotic, rapid strategies he used to reduce Twitter's workforce, but not all situations can be addressed with the same methods.
- The Partnership for Public Service estimates that the consequences of DOGE's actions could cost a staggering $135 billion in the current fiscal year, covering costs such as firings, rehiring, lost productivity, and paid leave for numerous workers.
- Critics claim that Musk's claims about saving money are misleading, as not only is he underreporting the savings, but his actions have led to immense, long-lasting costs for taxpayers, like legal expenses and losses in revenue due to layoffs at the Internal Revenue Service.
