President Donald Trump has expressed doubts about the effectiveness of the government spending cuts made by billionaire adviser Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, casting doubt on the agency’s ambitious goal to save $1 trillion.
Musk had vowed to cut $1 trillion in government spending during his time as a special government employee, but now appears to have pushed back its deadline. The department claims to have saved an estimated $175 billion through various measures, including workforce reductions and contract cancellations. However, concerns have been raised about the accuracy of these figures, with inconsistencies and errors reported.
Critics argue that only half of the itemized savings published by the agency were linked to receipts or other forms of evidence. Some claims, such as the cancellation of an immigration contract worth $8 million, have been disputed after it was revealed the actual value of the contract was much lower.
The Supreme Court has also ruled against some of the layoffs implemented by Musk’s department, blocking a judge’s order requiring employees at six federal agencies to be rehired.
With Trump’s doubts raised, the future of Musk’s government efficiency initiative is uncertain. Despite this, the billionaire Tesla chief will continue to visit the White House and act as a friend and adviser to the president.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/2025/05/31/trump-questioned-musks-promise-to-slash-1-trillion-in-government-spending-report-says