Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, Donald Trump‘s appointees to lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), met with congressional leaders Thursday to discuss their plan to cut red tape in the U.S. This meeting, held behind closed doors, marked the beginning of an effort to create a leaner, more efficient and agile government.
A More Efficient and Accountable Government
House Speaker Mike Johnson noted that the main goal of the meeting was to move toward a more efficient government that is more responsive to the needs of taxpayers. Johnson commented that citizens deserve an administration that is more agile and focused on their priorities.
The proposed plan includes structural reforms to eliminate more than $500 billion in federal spending not authorized by Congress. These cuts focus on eliminating funds earmarked for unapproved uses, which is an important step toward reducing the government budget.
Tackling Excess Spending
Musk and Ramaswamy committed to curbing wasteful spending and ensuring that public resources are used more efficiently. The meeting also served as a first opportunity for dialogue with Republican leaders in the House and Senate, who are charged with overseeing the structure and funding of the government.
One of the key issues was the lack of compliance in federal employee work hours. Johnson noted that only 1% of federal workers are meeting their full 40-hour workweek schedule. And exclude maintenance and security personnel.
Musk: Proposals for More Responsible Use of Public Money
Musk also suggested eliminating all federal subsidies, including subsidies for the purchase of electric vehicles. He stressed that it is crucial to ensure that taxpayer money is used efficiently and without waste.
Moving Toward Republican Control
In January, Republicans will take control of the White House and Congress following Trump‘s victory in the November election. Johnson stressed that reforms must be a bipartisan effort, with the goal of investigating and eliminating fraud and waste in government.
With these first steps, the Republican administration seeks to implement reforms that will transform the Government into a more efficient and accountable entity with public resources.
For more political, business, technological and cultural information visit all of our Mundo Ejecutivo platforms.
