&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "100 days on... US federal workers still facing the brunt of Musk's DOGE damage")
100 days on… US federal workers are still facing the brunt of Musk’s DOGE damage Photograph: (Credit: AFP)
On May 28, Elon Musk announced his exit from DOGE, a department that was conceptualised to cut the state’s wasteful spending. A hundred days later, federal workers still bear the brunt of the damage done.
A hundred days after Elon Musk’s exit from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), federal workers are still facing the brunt. Ever since US President Donald Trump assumed office in January 2025, his was clear of slashing state spending. And with that he set up DOGE, which was headed by Tesla CEO Musk. Both were determined to cut costs and federal jobs were reduced drastically. So much so that their work was scrutinised, and the consequence of which is expected to linger for years.
Musk strategy has disrupted the nation’s more than 2 million-strong civil service. As mentioned by news agency AFP, Partnership for Public Service, a nonpartisan Washington-based NGO, has noted that almost 200,000 US civil servants have exited the federal workforce as of date.
Musk’s exit from DOGE
Trump and Elon Musk has always been in the frame since his re-election earlier this year. The two were almost inseparable, and a twist in the tale was when Musk announced his time in DOGE comes to an end on Mat 28. In his X post, he makes it a point to mention it was as scheduled. Is it as portrayed or just like Musk masked signs of Starship’s failure with a better-phrased statement: ‘lot of good data to review’.
As ambiguous as it seems at the face of it, Musk wrote with clarity, “As my scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end, I would like to thank President Donald Trump for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending. The DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government.”
‘Stuck in a bind’: Musk after his exit
While US President Donald Trump and Elon Musk may have appeared as a dream team, but in an interview after his exit, Musk revealed he was not in agreement with every decision made by the administration.
In an interview to news outlet CBS, a day before announcing his resignation, Musk said, “I’m a little stuck in a bind, where I’m like, well, I don’t wanna, you know, speak up against the administration, but I … also don’t wanna take responsibility for everything the administration’s doing. So I’m, like, kinda stuck, you know?”
He also said, “But it’s difficult for me to bring that up in an interview because then it creates a bone of contention.”
