Elon Musk’s ambitious plan to cut $1 trillion from the federal budget through executive action alone appears to be unrealistic. Despite months of cutting government contracts, grants, leases, and workers, Musk has set a new target of saving $150 billion.
The challenge lies in finding savings in the parts of the budget that are expected to total only $950 billion next year. Cutting $1 trillion would eliminate nearly every non-defense government worker, most of the veterans’ healthcare system, and all spending on medical research from the National Institutes of Health.
Experts argue that cutting a trillion in spending is not just about rooting out waste, but also requires a fundamental rethinking of the role of government in the United States. The military, a large source of spending, could be an area to look for cuts, but President Trump has shown little interest in reducing military spending.
Other categories of federal spending, such as Medicaid and food assistance programs, are also off-limits due to existing exemptions. Social Security and Medicare, two of the largest categories of federal spending, have not been touched by Musk’s efforts.
Even if cuts were made across all parts of the budget, a $1 trillion reduction in one year would be abrupt and disruptive. The government’s interest payments on the federal debt are projected to cost over $1 trillion next year, making it difficult to make a meaningful dent in these existing obligations through spending cuts alone.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/04/13/upshot/musk-doge-1-trillion-goal.html