This “Government Effectiveness” commission headed by the multi-billionaire, boss of Space
Elon Musk, in Washinton DC, January 20, 2025 (AFP / ANGELA WEISS)
Named in inspiration from the “meme-culture” of the Internet, the nebulous “DOGE” Commission (Department Of Government Efficiency) entrusted by Donald Trump to Elon Musk is in the sights of several organizations, including the main union of American civil servants, which are challenging the legality of this “Government Efficiency” commission in court.
Conflicts of interest and rewards
At least three appeals were filed on Monday January 20, the first day of Donald Trump’s new mandate, before the American courts against this commission, known by its acronym, “DOGE”. One of these appeals, in which the union of federal government employees (AFGE) has joined forces, which has hundreds of thousands of members, requires that the commission respect the rules laid down by federal law on the matter.
-This law “imposes various safeguards to prevent these commissions from being transformed into means of promoting private interests in the federal decision-making process and secretly influencing federal officials,” recall the plaintiffs. They therefore ask the judiciary to guarantee “a balanced representation of points of view” within the commission as well as transparency on its activities and its work. They worry as well
“DOGE’s operations during the transition period were shrouded in secrecy.”
Following his election in November, Donald Trump rewarded the boss of SpaceX, X and Tesla for his support during the campaign by announcing his intention to appoint him to head this newly created body, responsible for cutting federal spending. , jointly with Republican businessman Vivek Ramaswamy.
During the campaign, Elon Musk assured that he could reduce federal public spending by $2,000 billion, a drop of 30% compared to the total for the 2024 budget year. The objective assigned by the Republican president to this commission is to achieve a “smaller government” for the world’s leading power on July 4, 2026, the 250th anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence.
