In February, survey results revealed unexpected levels of approval among Americans for Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), surprising analysts at CNN.
A CBS/YouGov poll indicated that 54% of Americans felt DOGE and Musk should have a role in influencing government operations and spending, despite opposition from Democrats regarding DOGE’s federal spending reduction strategies.
Harry Enten, a CNN data reporter, expressed surprise at these findings, stating on air, “This, to me, was one of the more shocking figures that I saw. It made me go, ‘wait a minute, hold on one second! Whoa!'”
Additionally, the survey showed majority support for President Donald Trump’s initiative to reduce government agency staff. Musk communicated to cabinet members his expectations for DOGE to meet its $1 trillion spending cut target.
When CNN’s Kate Bolduan questioned Enten about Americans’ views on DOGE’s cuts, he cited further survey data suggesting the public sees the cuts as targeting wasteful spending rather than essential services.
A poll by The Washington Post and IPSOS revealed that 42% of registered voters believe DOGE is eliminating “wasteful spending,” while 36% think the department is cutting “necessary programs.”
“Democrats want to argue that the type of spending that Musk is cutting is mainly necessary programs, but that comes in at just 36%. The wasteful spending actually wins the plurality here, at 42%,” Enten commented on CNN.
Nevertheless, not all surveys indicate widespread support for DOGE. According to PolitiFact, a Harvard-Harris poll found 72% favor a government agency focused on efficiency, but DOGE was not specifically mentioned. Other surveys have shown mixed or negative views towards Musk’s role in the Trump administration, particularly concerning DOGE’s access to sensitive government information.
The CBS News/YouGov poll also found Americans divided on the effects of workforce reductions. Republicans viewed them as enhancing efficiency, while Democrats perceived them as removing vital workers and consolidating Trump’s power.
Regarding federal workforce reductions, 52% thought Musk and DOGE had too much influence, 15% deemed it insufficient, and 33% found it appropriate. The Trump administration has defended the reductions, stating the president seeks only the most capable individuals to implement his America First agenda.
The Washington Post reports that DOGE, supported by Musk and his allies, has justified its downsizing efforts by claiming a focus on reducing fraud, waste, and abuse in government spending. President Trump has echoed this sentiment, suggesting significant “fraud” in programs like Social Security.
However, independent watchdogs and analysts cited by the Washington Post argue that Musk and Trump are using broad claims of fraud to secure political support for extensive spending cuts. While fraudulent spending exists, much of what Musk and his allies label as “fraud” reflects disagreements over the purpose or value of certain programs.
Despite President Trump’s low overall economic approval ratings, favorable polling for Musk and DOGE suggests that many Americans responded positively to specific initiatives aimed at reducing perceived governmental waste in February.
Despite apparent public support for DOGE’s mission, there remains uncertainty about which programs might be impacted by the trillion-dollar spending reduction goal. Surveys indicate Americans are divided on whether these cuts will benefit or harm government services.
By April 2025, a Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll, released on April 25, showed that 35% of Americans approved of the tech billionaire’s management of DOGE, while 57% disapproved, an increase from the 49% who viewed Musk negatively in February.
Support for Musk’s performance remained largely unchanged at 34% since two months prior. However, the poll indicates he is still less favored than Trump, who holds an approval rating of 39% and a disapproval rating of 55% according to the Post’s survey.
Musk’s support has declined significantly among almost all groups, including independents, young adults under 30, and those without college degrees.
The findings highlight Americans’ views on the significant federal government budget cuts the Trump administration seeks to implement. Meanwhile, Musk has announced plans to reduce his involvement in DOGE and focus more on managing his electric car company, Tesla.
Most Americans believe that waste in the federal government has either stayed the same (31%) or increased (25%) under Trump, while 43% think it has decreased. Opinions on fraud are nearly evenly split: 34% feel it has risen during Trump’s presidency, 32% say it has declined, and 34% believe it has remained the same.
About 60% of Americans perceive the president as overreaching in his attempts to reduce the federal government through staff reductions. Meanwhile, Trump’s proposal to eliminate the Department of Education is widely unpopular, with 66% of Americans opposing the move. The administration’s cuts to federal funding for medical research, part of its response to U.S. colleges and universities, are also disapproved by most, with only 21% in favor and 77% against them.
The survey was conducted with 2,464 adults between April 18 and 22, with a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points.
