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Musk, who is spearheading the department’s efficiency efforts, has set an ambitious goal of identifying $2 trillion in spending cuts. DOGE is now shifting its focus to major government programs, particularly those involving healthcare and infrastructure.
Legal Battles and Pushback
Despite the aggressive cost-cutting measures, DOGE has already faced significant legal hurdles. On Friday, a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order preventing the Trump administration from dismantling the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), an agency Trump has described as “full of fraud, waste, and corruption.”
Trump did not hold back in his response, telling Fox News host Bret Baier:
“I disagree with it 100 percent; I think it’s crazy. We have to solve the efficiency problem; we have to solve the fraud, waste, abuse.”
WATCH:
During a separate press event, the president called the ruling an “embarrassment,” saying:
“When a president can’t look for fraud and waste and abuse, we don’t have a country anymore.”
U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer, an Obama appointee, ruled that Musk and his team do not have the authority to access Treasury Department payment systems. His decision requires anyone who has already accessed federal financial systems under DOGE to delete any downloaded data immediately.
Musk fired back, calling Engelmayer “corrupt” and accusing him of “protecting corruption.” The case, filed by 19 Democratic state attorneys general, is expected to go to a hearing in New York on Friday.
Massive Federal Budget Cuts Already Underway
While the legal battles unfold, DOGE continues slashing costs across federal agencies. In its first two weeks of operation, the agency has already canceled 85 contracts tied to DEI and accessibility programs, resulting in $1 billion in savings. These cuts have impacted 24 agencies, including:
- Office of Personnel Management (OPM) – Nearly $500 million in canceled contracts.
- Department of Agriculture (USDA) – Over $110 million cut.
- Department of Homeland Security (DHS) – $14.9 million in reductions.
- Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) – $28.1 million slashed.
- Department of the Treasury – $25.2 million cut.
- Department of Education – $3.8 million in reductions.
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – $3 million eliminated.
- Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) – $45 million in budget cuts.
USAID, which Trump has labeled a “big scam,” has been one of the hardest-hit agencies. The administration has significantly reduced its operations, redirecting funds to other departments.
“Hundreds of millions of dollars in money that’s going to places where it shouldn’t be going,” Trump said, adding, “I think I’d rather give it to Marco Rubio over at the State Department, let him take care of the few good ones.”
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What’s Next for DOGE?
With the administration determined to cut trillions in government waste, DOGE’s work is far from over. The agency is now collaborating with the General Services Administration (GSA) to find ways to reduce leasing costs and eliminate unnecessary federal properties.
Despite mounting resistance from federal judges and opposition from Democratic lawmakers, Musk and Trump remain committed to their mission. If their efforts continue at this pace, they could reshape federal spending on an unprecedented scale.
As the legal battles play out, one thing is certain: Washington’s bureaucratic status quo is under its most aggressive shake-up in decades.
