The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), under Elon Musk’s leadership, may be terminated after only 130 days, significantly ahead of its original timeline. President Donald Trump’s constituents have grown increasingly dissatisfied with Musk’s involvement in DOGE. On Monday, Trump indicated that cabinet secretaries have gained sufficient insights from the Tesla CEO to enhance efficiency independently. Soon, they would be equipped to manage their departments without Musk’s continued guidance.
The DOGE project, introduced by Trump early in his administration, is controversial, with some of the president’s supporters expressing discontent. The president is navigating DOGE-related budget cuts that affect voters in key Republican areas, alongside advocating for significant tariff increases—proposals that have impacted the stock market negatively and raised concerns about a potential recession.
Trump previously expressed frustration with Musk, urging him to adopt a more precise approach, akin to using a “scalpel,” rather than a “chainsaw,” as seen in collaborative cost-cutting events with Argentine President Javier Milei. During a briefing, Trump noted that many individuals collaborating with DOGE are agency heads who have learned from the project. He suggested that some cabinet members might retain a portion of DOGE’s advisory staff. Eventually, the secretaries could handle the work with precision and finesse.
Trump’s comments were in response to inquiries about DOGE’s future post-Musk’s term. Musk, designated as a Special Government Employee, is constrained to a 130-day annual working period, benefitting from more relaxed ethics guidelines than standard government employees. Should Trump decide to terminate DOGE in conjunction with Musk’s departure, the initiative would conclude far before the planned July 2026 end date—a significant moment as it coincides with America’s 250th Independence Day and the 2026 midterm election focus.
Trump hailed DOGE as the “Manhattan Project of our time” when initially confirming Musk’s participation in his administration, aiming to drastically reduce federal government size by $1 to $2 trillion. Musk had previously advocated for “mass headcount reductions” within the federal workforce, which comprises two million individuals. Many purported savings, such as a disputed $50 million erroneously allocated towards distributing condoms to Hamas, have been questioned. Musk’s suggestion that the Social Security program was the “biggest ponzi scheme of all time” particularly alarmed the public.
In response to criticism, Musk, alongside senior DOGE staff, appeared on Fox News to refute claims of their drastic budget cuts. Musk stated that they aimed to achieve a $1 trillion deficit reduction during his 130-day tenure, targeting $4 billion daily savings in waste and fraud—a goal they reportedly were meeting. This article originally appeared on Fortune.com.
