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Musk's 130-day 'Government Revolution' Comes to an End! The Controversy Behind the Slash of $130 Billion
On May 29, 2025, Elon Musk announced the end of his 130-day term as 'efficiency czar' under the Trump administration. This reform, referred to as the 'Efficiency Revolution', aimed to reshape the U.S. government through corporate methods. Despite the drastic cut of $130 billion in spending, it ended amidst widespread controversy.
1. Special Appointment Raises Questions
In 2024, Trump established the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), granting Musk the authority to review budgets and restructure agencies as a 'special government employee'. Although the White House claimed he was merely an advisor, Musk effectively led layoffs, closed departments, and even bypassed the president to issue orders directly through the X platform. With SpaceX holding $22 billion in government contracts and Tesla facing regulatory investigations, his motives for reform came under scrutiny.
2. Three Major Moves Stir the Political Arena
Musk introduced corporate management thinking into the government: closing three major departments, including the U.S. Agency for International Development, resulting in the layoff of 13,900 employees and annual savings of over $30 billion; launching a 'civil servant buyout program' that encouraged 2 million employees to leave with an 8-month severance package, sparking dissatisfaction at the grassroots level; and using AI to uncover a $365 billion 'loophole' in the social security system, but data privacy issues persisted.
3. Mixed Impact Difficult to Assess
On one hand, the 130-day cut of $130 billion in spending significantly reduced the deficit rate. Trump even planned to use the saved funds to give families a $5,000 tax rebate; conservatives hailed Musk as a 'hero against bureaucracy', boosting Trump's poll numbers. On the other hand, the closure of international aid agencies faced international condemnation, the quality of grassroots services declined, data security controversies arose frequently, and the legitimacy of the reforms was repeatedly challenged. This 'Musk-style reform' ultimately became a controversial footnote in Washington's political arena.
On May 29, 2025, Elon Musk announced the end of his 130-day term as 'efficiency czar' under the Trump administration. This reform, referred to as the 'Efficiency Revolution', aimed to reshape the U.S. government through corporate methods. Despite the drastic cut of $130 billion in spending, it ended amidst widespread controversy.
1. Special Appointment Raises Questions
In 2024, Trump established the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), granting Musk the authority to review budgets and restructure agencies as a 'special government employee'. Although the White House claimed he was merely an advisor, Musk effectively led layoffs, closed departments, and even bypassed the president to issue orders directly through the X platform. With SpaceX holding $22 billion in government contracts and Tesla facing regulatory investigations, his motives for reform came under scrutiny.
2. Three Major Moves Stir the Political Arena
Musk introduced corporate management thinking into the government: closing three major departments, including the U.S. Agency for International Development, resulting in the layoff of 13,900 employees and annual savings of over $30 billion; launching a 'civil servant buyout program' that encouraged 2 million employees to leave with an 8-month severance package, sparking dissatisfaction at the grassroots level; and using AI to uncover a $365 billion 'loophole' in the social security system, but data privacy issues persisted.
3. Mixed Impact Difficult to Assess
On one hand, the 130-day cut of $130 billion in spending significantly reduced the deficit rate. Trump even planned to use the saved funds to give families a $5,000 tax rebate; conservatives hailed Musk as a 'hero against bureaucracy', boosting Trump's poll numbers. On the other hand, the closure of international aid agencies faced international condemnation, the quality of grassroots services declined, data security controversies arose frequently, and the legitimacy of the reforms was repeatedly challenged. This 'Musk-style reform' ultimately became a controversial footnote in Washington's political arena.
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