keneci
News • Science & Tech • Comedy
DOGE, Elon Musk Speak on 'mind-boggling' waste, fraud in U.S. government
March 28, 2025
post photo preview

Elon Musk and seven members of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) team appeared on Fox News' Special Report with Bret Baier Thursday, to discuss their efforts to cut government waste and fraud and address critics.

The group also discussed DOGE's work relating to the federal workforce, financial management, government infrastructure, computer systems, Social Security and more.

Musk revealed that 40% of calls to the Social Security Administration (SSA) are fraudulent and defended the team's actions, despite ongoing legal challenges from far-left activists and entrenched bureaucrats.

"We want to reduce spending by eliminating waste and fraud and reduce the spending by 15%, which seems really quite achievable," The Tesla CEO and special government employee told Baier. "...The government is not efficient, and there's a lot of waste and fraud. So we feel confident that a 15% reduction can be done without affecting any of the critical government services."

As of March 27, DOGE claims on its site it has saved Americans $130 billion, or $807.45 per taxpayer.

“We are cutting the waste and fraud in real time," Musk told Fox News. "So every day that passes, our goal is to reduce the waste and fraud by $4 billion a day every day, 7 days a week. And so far we are succeeding.” That’s $1.4T per year in savings by DOGE”

President Donald Trump tasked the organization with optimizing the federal government, streamlining operations and slashing spending and gave the agency 18 months to do it.

The department has canceled numerous diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives at federal agencies, consulting contracts, leases for underused federal buildings and duplicate agencies and programs.

During Thursday's interview, the DOGE team members added a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the department’s work from the Internal Revenue Source to the Interior Department to Social Security. Musk was joined by DOGE members Steve Davis, a longtime Musk associate and rocket scientist, Joe Gebbia, co-founder of Airbnb, Aram Moghaddassi, Brad Smith, Anthony Armstrong, a former Morgan Stanley banker, Tom Krause, who has been involved in legal challenges, and Tyler Hassen.

"This is a revolution. And I think it might be the biggest revolution in government since the original revolution. But at the end of the day, America's going to be in much better shape," Musk said. "It's going to be a fantastic future."

Moghaddassi, a DOGE software engineer, said that the team aims to improve Social Security by helping legitimate beneficiaries and protecting them from fraud.

The DOGE members illustrated key efforts of the department to achieve Trump's goal. Davis brought up federal credit cards, which he labeled a "mundane" but "illustrative" example of DOGE's work.

"There are in the federal government around 4.6 million credit cards for around 2.3 to 2.4 million employees. This doesn't make sense. So one of the things all of the teams have worked on is we've worked for the agencies and said, 'Do you need all of these credit cards? Are they being used? Can you tell us physically where they are?'" Davis explained.

"Clearly there should not be more credit cards than there are people," Musk responded.

Musk highlighted an example of egregious government waste: a national park survey that reportedly cost the federal government nearly $1 billion. This was a simple 10-question survey asking people whether they liked national parks, which he claims could have been conducted using a platform like SurveyMonkey for approximately $10,000. He has noted that the survey appeared to lack a meaningful purpose or feedback loop, suggesting the expenditure was not only excessive but also ineffective.

The group also highlighted the archaic retirement system. The current paper system is so inefficient that only 8,000 government employees can be retired per month, with backlog of 6-9 months processing time.. Musk said. Many processes in government look like they haven’t changed or been updated since the 1950’s.

Many Republican lawmakers have come out as staunch DOGE defenders, while many Democrat lawmakers remain vociferous critics of DOGE and its leader.

Musk explained the department is keeping Congress "informed" and that lawmakers have a duty to address fraud and wasteful spending, they haven’t been doing that, the Tesla CEO said. “We try to keep Congress as informed as possible. The law does say that money needs to be spent correctly. It should not be spent fraudulently or wastefully.”

He addressed the judicial rulings against DOGE, pointing out that the D.C. Circuit has a "very far-left bias" and suggesting that judges may be influenced by NGOs that benefit from government spending.

The top DOGE official and his team defended their actions, arguing that they are working to make the government more efficient and solvent. Musk claimed that "almost no one has gotten fired" and that the team's efforts are necessary to ensure critical government services continue to function.

Critics contend the organization has too much access to federal systems and should not be permitted to cancel federal contracts or make cuts to various agencies.

"They may characterize it as shooting from the hip, but it is anything but that," Musk said, noting the agency's approach to cuts is to "measure twice, if not thrice and cut once."

"Which is not to say that we don't make mistakes. If we were to approach this with the standard of making no mistakes at all, that would be like saying someone in baseball has got to bat a thousand. That's impossible. So when we do make mistakes, we correct them quickly and we move on," he added.

The top DOGE official also argued that when critics "attack DOGE, they never attack any of the specifics."

"They'll say what we're doing is somehow unconstitutional or illegal or whatever. We're like, 'well, which line of the cost savings do you disagree with?' And they can't point to any," Musk said.

Musk also spoke out about what he sees as a growing wave of violence against Tesla owners, blaming left-wing rhetoric for inciting the attacks. He argued that the real issue isn’t just the individuals committing these acts but the people spreading anti-Tesla narratives.

Reports of Tesla-related incidents have been increasing, ranging from minor vandalism, such as keying or graffiti, to more extreme cases like arson and drive-by shootings targeting Tesla vehicles and dealerships.

Musk and DOGE have been a lightning rod for criticism due to the department's commitment to slashing waste, fraud and abuse in the federal government.

"The real problem is not the people. It's not like the crazy guy that firebombs a Tesla dealership," Musk said. "It's the people pushing the propaganda that cause that guy to do it. Those are the real villains here."

According to Musk, the rise in vandalism and attacks on Tesla cars and dealerships stems from criticism of his leadership at DOGE. He claims that rhetoric from Democrat leaders, especially those opposed to DOGE and his involvement, has fueled anger against Tesla and its supporters.

"They are being fed propaganda by the far left, and they believe it," Musk said. "....Tesla is a peaceful company that has made great cars, great products. That's all it's done. It hasn't harmed anyone. And yet people are committing violence."

"They are firebombing Tesla dealerships. They are shooting guns into stores. They are threatening people. They are issuing death threats against me and other Tesla personnel," Musk told Baier.

Musk also said that the Trump administration has vowed to take action. 

"The president has made it clear: We’re going after them. The ones providing the money, the ones pushing the lies and propaganda. We're going after them," he said.

When asked why he continues his role at DOGE despite the backlash, Musk compared the attacks against him to those faced by President Trump, particularly accusations that he is a Nazi.

"I got the normal playbook," he said. 

"They called the president all these things… At one point there was a magazine cover, which said the president was worse than Hitler, Mussolini, and Stalin combined. And the president hasn't killed anyone. He hasn't started any wars. In fact, he's good at stopping wars."

Musk argued that such extreme language is part of a broader strategy to disrupt his and Trump’s agenda.

"Why do they push these lies? I think we need to hold people responsible for pushing these lies, because those lies almost got the president killed," he said.

In response to the violence against Tesla, the FBI announced Monday that it has launched a task force to investigate attacks on Tesla owners. FBI Director Kash Patel posted on X that the incidents are being treated as "domestic terrorism."

Thursday's interview marked a significant public appearance for the DOGE team, which has generally kept a low profile since its inception. Despite the team's efforts to present a positive image, the interview highlighted ongoing controversies and legal challenges surrounding their activities.

community logo
Join the keneci Community
To read more articles like this, sign up and join my community today
0
What else you may like…
Videos
Posts
Articles
SpaceX Starlink Internet Satellites

With Starlink internet, data is continuously being sent between a ground dish and a Starlink satellite orbiting 550km above. Furthermore, the Starlink satellite zooms across the sky at 27,000 km/hr! MORE VIDEOS ON KENECI NETWORK RUMBLE CHANNEL: https://rumble.com/c/Keneci

00:28:08
Elon Musk, DOGE Speak On Waste And Fraud

US Department of Government Efficiency Services (USDS) led by Elon Musk speak on the "mind-boggling" fraud and waste in UInited States federal government

00:00:45
January 17, 2025
SpaceX Launches Starship 7th Test Flight

SpaceX successfully executed its second-ever “chopsticks” catch of a Super Heavy booster (or Booster 14) using the “Mechazilla” launch tower on Thursday(Jan. 16), during the seventh uncrewed test flight of the company's 123-meter Starship rocket. However, the megarocket's upper stage(or Ship 33) was lost approximately 8.5 minutes into the flight in a “rapid unscheduled disassembly(RUD)” or explosion

00:10:30
Welcome to Keneci Network!

Join the conversations!

September 17, 2024
Charges Against Sean 'Diddy' Combs In Grand Jury Indictment

The rapper was charged with racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, and transportation to engage in prostitution in the indictment unsealed Tuesday(Sept. 17)

Combs-Indictment-24-Cr.-542.pdf
"Dear husband"

A Dubai princess took to social media to announce she's divorcing her husband who's worth $40B.

She claims the billionaire is busy with his "other [female] companions"

post photo preview
post photo preview
SDA T1TL-C: SpaceX Launches 21 US Military Communication Satellites

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched at 2306 UTC on Oct. 15, from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, deploying 21 satellites for the U.S. Space Force’s Space Development Agency (SDA) Tranche 1 Transport Layer (T1TL) constellation. This T1TL-C mission marked the second deployment of the T1TL network, with the satellites built by Lockheed Martin and designed to provide global, low-latency military data connectivity through optical inter-satellite links.

The Falcon 9 first stage booster B1093, which completed its seventh flight, successfully landed on the drone ship "Of Course I Still Love You" positioned in the Pacific Ocean, about 8 minutes after liftoff. B1093 also launched SpaceX's first T1TL mission on Sept. 10, as well as five flights carrying the company's Starlink broadband satellites.

The rocket's second stage meanwhile, flying on a southerly trajectory, placed the 21 satellites into a polar low Earth orbit less than an hour after launch.

The 21 satellites are part of the SDA’s Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA), designed to enable beyond-line-of-sight, secure, real-time communication for military forces worldwide by relaying data through a mesh network. The Transport Layer is intended to expand the range of the U.S. military’s Link 16 tactical data network to virtually any location on Earth.

The satellites were manufactured by Lockheed Martin, which secured a $700 million contract in 2022 to produce 42 satellites for Tranche 1. The spacecraft buses were supplied by Terran Orbital, a Lockheed Martin subsidiary  This mission was the second of six planned T1TL launches for Tranche 1, which will eventually include 126 Transport Layer satellites and 28 Tracking Layer satellites.

The first T1TL mission launched on September 10, 2025, carrying 21 satellites built by York Space Systems. The SDA, established in 2019, aims to reduce reliance on large geostationary satellites by deploying smaller, commercially built spacecraft in low Earth orbit using rapid acquisition methods and mostly Elon Musk SpaceX's efficient rocket and satellite capabilities.

Read full Article
October 15, 2025
post photo preview
Trump Posthumously Awards Presidential Medal Of Freedom To Charlie Kirk

President Donald Trump posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to conservative activist Charlie Kirk at a White House ceremony on Tuesday, on what would have been Kirk’s 32nd birthday. The event, held in the Rose Garden, featured emotional remarks from Trump and Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, who accepted the honor on her husband’s behalf.

Charlie Kirk, co-founder of Turning Point USA, was assassinated on September 10, 2025, during a debate at Utah Valley University as part of his "America Comeback Tour." His organization played a significant role in mobilizing young voters for Trump in the 2024 election, particularly in key battleground states like Arizona. Vice President JD Vance, a close friend, accompanied Kirk’s casket on Air Force Two from Utah to Arizona.

Trump described Kirk as a "martyr for truth and freedom" and a "visionary" who galvanized young voters, while Erika Kirk praised her husband’s faith, fearlessness, and servant’s heart, noting he prayed for his enemies.

Trump called Kirk a "fearless warrior for liberty" and a "champion in every way," and stated he "raced back halfway around the globe" from the Middle East to attend, having just brokered a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel. He credited Kirk with helping him win the 2024 election and mobilizing young voters, joking that without him, Kamala Harris might have been president.

The president also used the occasion to condemn "far-left radicals," claiming they have a "devil’s ideology" and calling for "absolutely no tolerance" for radical left violence, extremism, and terror. He referenced the sounds of sirens from the Rose Garden as "real-deal sirens" and "beautiful," linking them to law enforcement and national security.

Erika Kirk accepted the medal and shared a heartfelt message from her 3-year-old daughter, who wished her father a happy birthday with a stuffed animal, cupcake, and surprise. She also spoke of her husband’s deep faith and his potential to run for president, stating he would have done so only if he believed it was necessary for the country, not out of ambition.

The widow said of Kirk, "Surprisingly enough, he did pray for his enemies, which is very hard, but he did," drawing laughter from the crowd. She also highlighted her son’s early potty training as a "gift" to her and Charlie.

The ceremony was attended by numerous high-profile figures, including Vice President Vance, second lady Usha Vance, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, FBI Director Kash Patel, and prominent conservative media personalities like Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity, and Laura Ingraham. The Trump administration also revoked visas of six foreign nationals for making negative comments about Kirk.

Read full Article
October 14, 2025
Flight 11: SpaceX Tests New Starship Landing Burns, Ship Banking Maneuvers, Subsonic Guidance Algorithms

SpaceX launched Starship Flight 11 from Pad 1 at Starbase on October 13, at about 2323 UTC, marking the final flight test for the Version 2 iteration of the megarocket system and the last use of the current Pad 1 configuration.

The mission concluded with the Super Heavy booster performing a controlled splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico and the Ship 38 upper stage successfully splashing down in the Indian Ocean about one hour and six minutes after liftoff, following a suborbital trajectory that included a payload deployment demonstration, an in-space engine relight test, and a dynamic banking maneuver during reentry.

Flight 11 also marked this Super Heavy(B15)'s second flight, following a successful catch during Flight 8 in March 2025, and it was the third booster caught by the launch tower at Pad A. For this mission, SpaceX reused 24 of its 33 Raptor 2 engines, with the booster performing a landing burn starting with 13 engines and transitioning to five for added redundancy before splashing down in the Gulf of Mexico.

Following launch, the flight followed a suborbital profile similar to previous tests, with the Super Heavy booster executing a new landing burn engine configuration planned for future Block 3 boosters. The booster performed a boostback burn, followed by a landing burn, and splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico approximately 6.5 minutes after liftoff.

Accorging to SpaceX, "This was the final flight of the second-generation Starship and first generation Super Heavy booster, as well as the final launch from the current configuration of Pad 1. Every major objective of the flight test was achieved, providing valuable data as we prepare the next generation of Starship and Super Heavy.

"The flight test began with Super Heavy igniting all 33 Raptor engines and ascending over the Gulf. The successful first-stage ascent was followed by a hot-staging maneuver, with Starship’s upper stage igniting its six Raptor engines to continue its flight to space.

"Following stage separation, the Super Heavy booster completed its boostback burn to put it on a course to a pre-planned splashdown zone off the coast of Texas using 12 of the 13 planned engines. Under the same angle of attack tested on the previous flight, the booster descended until successfully igniting all 13 planned engines (including one that did not relight during the boostback burn) for the high-thrust portion of the landing burn. The booster successfully executed a unique landing burn planned for use on the next generation booster. Super Heavy hovered above the water before shutting down its engines and splashing down."

Ship 38 mission objectives include, deploying eight Starlink satellites simulators (totaling ~16,000 kg) to simulate payload release; in-space Raptor relight for deorbit maneuvers; and heat shield stress tests by intentionally removing tiles without ablative backups to expose bare steel and assess plasma exposure.

The mission deployed eight Starlink mass simulators into a suborbital trajectory, simulating the deployment of next-generation (V3) Starlink satellites. Another key objective was the demonstration of a single Raptor engine relight in space, occurring approximately 38 minutes into the flight, which validates critical capabilities for deep-space missions. Heat shield modifications were tested by removing tiles lacking an ablative backup section in vulnerable areas to stress-test the thermal protection system during reentry.

Ship 38, the final Block 2 Starship vehicle, completed its mission with a controlled reentry into Earth's atmosphere, passing through transonic and subsonic regimes before initiating its landing burn. It executed a dynamic banking maneuver during descent, testing subsonic guidance algorithms needed for future return-to-launch-site landings. The ship successfully splashed down in the Indian Ocean northwest of Western Australia at approximately 1:06:25 after liftoff.

According to SpaceX, "After completing a full-duration ascent burn, Starship achieved its planned velocity and trajectory. During flight, Starship successfully deployed eight Starlink simulators and executed the third in-space relight of a Raptor engine, demonstrating a critical capability for future deorbit burns.

"Starship re-entered the Earth’s atmosphere and was able to gather extensive data on the performance of its heatshield as it was intentionally stressed to test the limits of the vehicle’s capabilities. In the final minutes of flight, Starship performed a dynamic banking maneuver to mimic the trajectory that future missions returning to Starbase will fly. Starship then guided itself using its four flaps to the pre-planned splashdown zone in the Indian Ocean, successfully executing a landing flip, landing burn, and soft splashdown."

This flight was the eleventh test of the Starship system and the final flight for the Block 2 Starship and Super Heavy vehicles. Booster 15, which previously flew on Flight 8, was reused with 24 flight-proven Raptor engines and was intended to test configurations for the upcoming Block 3 booster.

According to SpaceX, "Focus now turns to the next generation of Starship and Super Heavy, with multiple vehicles currently in active build and preparing for tests. This next iteration will be used for the first Starship orbital flights, operational payload missions, propellant transfer, and more as we iterate to a fully and rapidly reusable vehicle with service to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars, and beyond"

Read full Article
See More
Available on mobile and TV devices
google store google store app store app store
google store google store app tv store app tv store amazon store amazon store roku store roku store
Powered by Locals