Overview

• In an interview with Axios, Howard Lutnick said Elon Musk “got that backward” by prioritizing federal layoffs instead of spending cuts.
• DOGE remains in operation without Musk, and officials now distance themselves as his relationship with President Trump deteriorates.
• Reported savings total just over $200 billion to date, a number widely disputed compared with earlier trillion‑dollar ambitions.
• Lutnick previously recruited Musk with a mandate to cut $1 trillion in waste, a goal that dwarfs current reported totals.
• Congressional pressure is intensifying, with Rep. John Larson urging Musk and DOGE to testify about alleged Social Security data compromises.