Tech billionaire Elon Musk is stepping into Washington’s political spotlight, but the road ahead might not be smooth. Musk, a close ally of Donald Trump, has been named to a leadership role in the new Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE—a largely symbolic position in the incoming administration. However, concerns are already being raised about his ability to navigate the complex dynamics of federal governance.
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA), who represents much of Silicon Valley and has known Musk for years, shared his skepticism during a POLITICO Tech podcast on Thursday. “I think Elon may get frustrated fairly quickly,” Khanna remarked, referring to Musk’s proposals to cut spending and reduce the federal workforce.
One key challenge, according to Khanna, will be Musk’s ability to push for defense budget reductions, a contentious issue in Washington. “Let’s see if he can get defense cuts. My guess is that there are going to be a lot of the people on that committee [who] are going to want even more defense spending. It’ll be a test,” he said.
Khanna also questioned the effectiveness of Musk’s new role, especially when it comes to tackling government waste. “And I think the real question here will be how effective will he be going after true waste and true abuse like you have in terms of defense contractors,” he added.
Musk’s appointment to DOGE has drawn mixed reactions. While some see it as an opportunity for the entrepreneur to bring his innovative, cost-cutting mindset to government operations, others doubt whether his high-profile leadership style will mesh with the bureaucracy of Washington. Adding to the intrigue, Musk will share leadership duties with Vivek Ramaswamy, a MAGA loyalist known for his staunch support of Trump’s policies.
The DOGE initiative, though largely symbolic, reflects Trump’s ongoing efforts to reduce the size of the federal government and reframe conversations about fiscal responsibility. However, Musk’s ambitions, particularly around defense spending cuts, are likely to face resistance in a political climate where national security funding is often sacrosanct.
Musk has yet to publicly comment on his appointment or Khanna’s remarks. As the billionaire prepares to enter the arena of federal governance, many are watching closely to see whether his Silicon Valley approach will lead to real change—or frustration, as Khanna predicts.