What Musk leaves in DOGE for Trump and his successor

Last week, Elon Musk left Washington, concluding one of the most unusual sagas in recent presidential history. Known for leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) , Musk leaves behind a significant effort to identify and eliminate waste and fraud in federal departments. His departure marks a pivotal moment, as the baton is passed to President Trump and future leaders to continue this mission. The impact of Musk's work is profound, with identified cuts estimated at $157 billion.

President Trump has expressed his unwavering commitment to ensuring that the cuts identified by DOGE become permanent. According to Trump, DOGE successfully pinpointed significant reductions, estimating a total of $157 billion. He highlighted specific examples, such as $101 million in contracts for DEI at the Department of Education and $59 million for hotel rooms for illegal immigrants in New York City.

Despite the progress, the deeper cuts, amounting to the $157 billion estimated by DOGE, face resistance. Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine, for instance, has indicated her reluctance to support eliminating everything DOGE proposed. Collins specifically mentioned cuts to foreign aid, such as the global health initiative for women or PEPFAR, as areas unlikely to pass in the Senate.

Amidst the resistance, some senators, like Lindsey Graham, advocate for swiftly codifying DOGE's actions, viewing it as the only way to make DOGE's cuts "real." A potential executive tool, "impoundment," was also mentioned, though it would likely lead to a legal battle with Congress and is considered illegal by some. The path forward is fraught with challenges, but the determination to see these cuts through remains strong among certain factions.

A notable element left by Musk was his recent public criticism of the "big, beautiful law." In an interview, Musk expressed his disappointment with the bill, stating that it "increases the budget deficit, not decreases it, and undermines the work the DOGE team is doing." These comments challenged the assertion by House Speaker Mike Johnson and other Republicans that the law would not increase debt. Experts, including the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), project that the law will add nearly $4 trillion to the deficit after the proposed cuts.

Musk's comments not only complicated matters for Republican leadership but also provided ammunition to conservative "deficit hawks" within the Republican Party who question the law's deficit reduction claims. The ongoing debate highlights the complexities of fiscal policy and the challenges of balancing budgetary goals with political realities.