Despite Elon Musk's efforts, the U.S. government was always going to keep growing

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Elon Musk’s departure from his temporary role with the Trump administration creates an opportunity to assess the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) that he created to shape a smaller, leaner federal government. There’s no doubt that the job is necessary; government in the U.S. and especially at the federal level has metastasized over the years in size, scope, and power beyond affordability — or the bounds of respect for people’s liberty.

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Unfortunately, depending on how you look at it, DOGE has so far delivered something between disappointment and failure.

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When the idea of DOGE was first floated, Musk boldly predicted that $2 trillion could be cut from the federal budget. Predictably, after the election was won by Donald Trump and his Republicans, Musk hedged a bit, saying “I think if we try for $2 trillion, we’ve got a good shot at getting $1 (trillion).”

That was a walk-back, but still a credible effort to address a federal government that is on its way to spending $6.75 trillion this year and takes a growing bite from the economy. As the U.S. Department of the Treasury