Criticism of President-elect Trump’s selections for the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) came from Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.), who described the appointees as “two billionaires who are cosplaying as government officials.” Speaking on MSNBC Thursday evening, he dismissed DOGE, stating that it is “not an actual department of this government” and calling the situation a joke.
Elon Musk, the tech billionaire, and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy were appointed by Trump to lead the advisory body, a decision that has generated serious controversy. The purpose of DOGE is to “slash wasteful spending” and aid in restructuring government operations.
Trump has claimed that the department will offer “advice and guidance” from outside traditional government channels. Several legislators from both parties have already joined the related caucus, and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) is set to chair a subcommittee focused on DOGE’s initiatives.
While supporting efforts to enhance government efficiency, Frost raised concerns about the proposals being presented. “The proposition of these two guys is that to make the government more efficient we gotta fire a bunch of people and take away a bunch of funding,” he stated.
Reelected last month for his second term, he emphasized that the lack of nuanced approaches and genuine oversight indicates that Musk and Ramaswamy are not starting from the right perspective.
On Thursday, Musk and Ramaswamy met with Republican legislators on Capitol Hill to discuss suggestions for reducing spending and eliminating government waste. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) noted that these meetings would not result in immediate plans.
