Would Elon Musk Leaving the Government be a Good Thing?
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Beginning of his second term, President Donald Trump established the Department of Government Efficiency, also referred to as DOGE, and appointed Tesla CEO Elon Musk to be in charge. The goal of DOGE is to decrease federal spending to remediate the national debt and save taxpayers money. Recently, there has been speculation about when Musk will step down from his position in the government. Musk is considered a special government employee, referred to as an SGE, which has a 130-day limit on government service. Musk began working for DOGE on the day of Trump’s inauguration, which means that his service will be due to end around late May. Trump told USA Today, "And at some point, he's going to be going back. He wants to."
However, Musk’s leave from the government would be more beneficial for the public than letting him stay in power. Though the purpose of DOGE was to improve the economic circumstances for the average American, the decisions made under Musk’s control have done little to follow up on this promise. Musk’s reduction of government jobs and federal agencies that specifically support the working class highlights that the process behind his decisions has not helped the public.
As of April 1, there have been about 60,000 government employees laid off since Musk’s reduction of government started. However, in March, CNN reported that about 270,000 government layoffs were announced, though the timeline of how DOGE intends to release this many people effectively remains uncertain. The Department of Education has taken a severe hit due to these layoffs, with about 50 percent of employees placed on administrative leave beginning March 21. This can be attributed to the Trump campaign’s call to remove the department entirely. Other departments being majorly impacted by layoffs are Homeland Security, Health and Human Services, and Agriculture. These departments provide essential services for U.S. citizens to improve protection and quality of life, which is why their removal will serve little to no benefit.
A major decision from DOGE has been the attempt to deconstruct the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, or CFPB. The CFPB was an organization created in 2011 to ensure the enforcement of regulations for banks and financial institutions. This includes protecting the privacy of credit reports, providing refunds for consumers who have been wronged by institutions, and imposing fines on financial firms that break consumer protection laws. This effort to diminish the CFPB began with the firing of the CFPB director, Rohit Chopra, who was an advocate for protecting working families and reducing student loans. Suspicion around the motives also arises because the regulations of the CFPB also apply to tech companies, including X Money. Owned by Musk, X Money is a payment system that can be used to make transactions, as well as withdraw money from people’s debit cards. Musk’s disregard of CFPB regulations creates uncertainty surrounding the safety and ethics of his companies.
In February, DOGE began the process of dismantling the U.S. Agency for International Development, known as USAID. Established in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy, the purpose of the USAID is to provide humanitarian assistance to war-torn areas and assist economic development in over 100 countries. On Feb. 2, Musk shared on X, “USAID is a criminal organization. Time for it to die.” A few weeks later, AP News shared that an internal memo from The Associated Press stated the Trump Administration planned on removing 90 percent of foreign aid contracts and 60 billion dollars from the USAID. The Guardian reported on April 1 that more than 5,000 humanitarian programs are being terminated, and thousands of overseas diplomats and civil servants are being ordered to leave. The significant reduction of the USAID will be detrimental to devastated areas and countries across the world. The main recipient of USAID assistance in recent years has been Ukraine, which has received about 30 billion dollars of humanitarian aid since the war with Russia began.
When we watch the news and view what decisions are being made by the government, it’s important to ask ourselves: “Who is benefiting?” With recent orders, it is made clear that the general public is not being prioritized. Though there is still uncertainty about the position of Musk and how long he will stay in power, or who will replace him, it is undeniable that the continuation of his service will be harmful.
