Politics

Elon Musk Wants to Take a Buzzsaw to the Federal Bureaucracy. Here Are Some Potential Targets

Katie Price

Published: January 24, 2025 1:30 pm

With the ushering in of the second Trump presidency, Americans can expect things to shake up in many different areas. Trump’s promises surrounding immigration, the economy, ending wars, and cutting federal spending are all promises he professed he would keep on the first day of his presidency. Well, he’s been president for almost three days now, and while he’s signed a significant amount of executive orders to move forward on immigration, perhaps the other most talked about creation is DOGE – the Department of Government Efficiency, headed by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy.

Both are billionaires, and Ramaswamy actually challenged Trump during the Republican primary before dropping out and putting his support behind him. Musk was born into wealth but made his billions on business ventures like Zip2, X.com, PayPal, Tesla, and SpaceX. Ramaswamy made his money in the biotech industry through companies like Roivant Sciences, a biopharmaceutical company. While both were appointed to head this new “department,” Ramaswamy was ousted soon after Trump took office.

Is DOGE Legal?

While a president can appoint advisors in almost any capacity, creating or dissolving a new government department requires an act of Congress, so Musk only works in an unofficial capacity. Even as he gives advice and shares information about decreasing the deficit, Musk has no actual power to do so other than his relationship with the president. That being said, he plans to hack funding out of many federal departments that the average American relies on more than they may realize.

Department of Education

Trump’s desire to dissolve the Department of Education centers on the idea that parents should control what their children learn. However, the department’s job is much bigger than that. Dissolving it may prove difficult, as Congress must also approve the process. 

While school curriculum and processes are largely relegated to the states, the ED administers federal education funding, ensures that all students have equal access to education, and enforces laws like the Individuals with Disabilities Act and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The department also distributes financial aid to college students through student loans, Pell grants, and other financial methods. 

Planned Parenthood

Musk and Ramaswamy called Planned Parenthood a “progressive organization” and plan to cut $300 of federal funding to groups like them. Right now, Planned Parenthood receives about $50 each year from the federal government. Federal funds can’t be used for abortion services, but Planned Parenthood does much more than that.

The organization provides family planning services, reproductive and sexual health services, and cancer screenings to those without health insurance or who cannot afford them. They provide testing, education, and treatment for STD and HIV prevention. Health services provided to low-income families are funded through Title X and are likely to be cut if federal funding disappears. Finally, the organization offers support services for pregnancy counseling and testing.

International Aid

The United States gives roughly $50 to $60 billion in humanitarian aid, military aid, and development assistance to other countries. The country operates under the assumption that a stable globe benefits the United States. DOGE plans to cut most of that funding. This may not do much to decrease the deficit, as international aid only makes up 1% of the annual federal budget. DOGE has only said they plan to cut $1.5 billion in grants to global organizations, although there’s no definition of what those would be.

The federal government has played a huge role in two wars: the one between Russia and Ukraine, and the one between Gaza and Israel. It’s unclear what part the country will play in these conflicts moving forward, with DOGE advising President Trump.

NASA

Much of NASA’s federal funding is set to expire this year, and representatives have suggested that more than $500 million may be cut from the annual allotment. NASA’s funding is often on the chopping block, depending on the priorities of the current president in office.

Federal funding for NASA aids with technology development, space science research, space exploration, aeronautics research, and international collaboration. The organization also maintains the International Space Station, promotes STEM Workforce Development, and educates the public about innovation, space missions, and scientific discovery.

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

According to a statement posted on X, Musk feels there are too many regulatory agencies, and many copy the others. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau was a target during Trump’s first term and appears to still be on the list.

The CFPB regulates financial services and products, provides consumer education, handles consumer complaints, and collects data to research market trends and consumer behavior. The agency also enforces consumer protection laws, such as the Dodd-Frank Act, the Fair Lending Act,, and the Truth in Lending Act. The goal of the CFPB is to protect consumers from predatory behavior from financial institutions.

What Else Is At Risk?

DOGE has also threatened to cut funding for the Internal Revenue Service, Federal Trade Commission, Securities and Exchange Commission, Department of Justice, Pentagon, and Corporation for Public Broadcasting. While Musk holds no official government power, it remains to be seen how many of his ideas will become legislative priorities, particularly since Republicans have a small majority in each house of Congress.