Musk's budget cuts: £126bn saved, but £106bn cost incurred
The Department of Government Efficiency in the USA, led by Elon Musk, claims to have saved £126 billion due to budget cuts. An analysis cited by CBS News indicates that these actions simultaneously generated costs for American taxpayers amounting to £106 billion. And that's not the end of it.
Although it's only a matter of time before Elon Musk steps down from chairing DOGE, it is already known that his so-called department, working on - as he himself said - eliminating waste and fraud in government spending, saved £126 billion. This is significantly less than Musk promised during the election campaign, placing the blame on Donald Trump.
USA. Musk’s department generated billion-pound costs
However, according to an analysis conducted by the non-profit organisation Partnership for Public Service, these actions may cost taxpayers £106 billion in the current fiscal year. It was noted that this does not include the defence costs against numerous lawsuits challenging the actions of DOGE.
Recall that the department led by Musk and Trump themselves influenced the resignation of several federal agency employees in the first weeks of the new administration. Despite laying off 24,000 people from 18 agencies, mostly those on probation, a court ruled in March that they must return to work.
Max Stier, president of the Partnership for Public Service, emphasises that the actions of the Musk-overseen department, instead of eliminating waste of public funds, generate additional costs. - It was an effort created to address waste, but we have seen the opposite. Ultimately, society will have to pay for it, - commented Stier to cbsnews.com.
The White House has already responded to the analysis, criticising its conclusions that undermine DOGE's actions. The media, which revealed this information, came under fire once again. - The American public supports the president's mission and will not be misled by the lies of traditional media, - said Harrison Fields, Deputy Press Secretary at the White House.
The Department of Efficiency plans further cuts, which are expected to bring an additional £30 billion in savings over a decade. However, experts warn that the reductions could affect the funding of scientific and health research, potentially resulting in economic losses. Musk said on Tuesday that he would limit his work in DOGE from May. He assured that until the end of Trump’s term, he intends to continue working towards the elimination of public fund waste, but no longer as the head of the department.
