Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, appointed to lead the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), met with lawmakers Thursday, December 5, on Capitol Hill to outline their plans for extensive government reform and spending cuts.
The initiative, which will operate as an advisory body rather than an official government department, aims to reduce federal spending by $500 billion annually through various measures, including dismantling bureaucracy, reducing regulations, and restructuring federal agencies.
During Thursday’s question-and-answer session, which was primarily attended by Republicans, Musk issued a warning to lawmakers that DOGE would maintain a “naughty or nice” list tracking members’ support for the budget-cutting efforts. Rep. Aaron Bean (R-Fla.) reported that the DOGE leaders emphasized a comprehensive review of potential cuts.
The initiative has gained support from House leadership, with Speaker Mike Johnson hosting the meeting and characterizing Musk and Ramaswamy as “innovators” and “forward thinkers” crucial for this “historic moment.”
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) will chair a new oversight subcommittee in the next Congress focused on DOGE’s agenda. “There’s a massive amount of waste, fraud and abuse that we have to tackle, and I will be doing that with my subcommittee,” Greene stated.
The DOGE initiative has established specific targets for reduction, including the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, international organizations receiving grants, and Planned Parenthood. The plan also involves reducing the federal workforce.
While the initiative has garnered bipartisan interest, with some Democrats expressing support particularly for Pentagon spending reductions, others remain skeptical about the feasibility of such ambitious reforms.
The DOGE commission plans to embed appointees within government agencies to identify minimum staffing requirements and implement return-to-office policies that could lead to significant workforce reductions.
The initiative faces substantial challenges, as cutting government spending requires congressional approval, and previous reform attempts have often fallen short. DOGE will focus on changes achievable through executive action rather than new legislation, with a mandate set to expire in July 2026.
Musk and Ramaswamy will work alongside incoming White House Office of Management and Budget director Russ Vought, who served in the same role during Donald Trump’s first term.
