Next to President Donald Trump himself, no one has occupied the recent political spotlight as much as Elon Musk. Musk, the world's richest man, was not elected or confirmed by the Senate — but he is still present in administration cabinet meetings and in the Oval Office.
In just 30 days, Musk and his special government employees have ripped up federal contracts, tossed DEI programs, put federal grants on ice, and fired or laid off tens of thousands of government employees — all with a passionate energy that has delighted the MAGA base and horrified his many detractors.
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Scripps News takes a hard look at Musk and the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, including Musk's claim to want to save the American taxpayer as much as a trillion dollars in federal spending. So far, the Department of Government Efficiency claims it has saved more than $60 billion — but questionable accounting and retracted claims means the total may be somewhat less than that.
