Part 3

#ElonMuskDOGEDeparture

$WCT (šŸš€top gainer)

DOGE’s reported savings of $140–160 billion fell far short of Musk’s initial $2 trillion goal, later revised to $1 trillion and then $150 billion, with some estimates suggesting the cuts could cost more in lost productivity (e.g., $135 billion per one nonpartisan report). Critics, including public policy experts like Donald Moynihan, argued that DOGE’s actions degraded government services, such as longer wait times at veterans’ hospitals and Social Security offices, without clear efficiency gains. This criticism, combined with Musk’s reduced presence in Washington, led to narratives that he was abandoning a failing project. Yet, Musk insisted DOGE’s mission would persist as a "way of life" in government, and his loyalists, like Steve Davis and Antonio Gracias, remain in key roles, suggesting his influence may continue indirectly.