11/18 2024 341
It has to be said that Musk, by supporting Trump's campaign this time, has emerged as the biggest winner after Trump.
On the one hand, with Trump's campaign success, Tesla's stock surged, pushing Musk's wealth beyond $300 billion, far ahead of the second place, firmly securing his position as the world's richest person.
Furthermore, Musk's future business endeavors are poised for a full bloom, spanning from Tesla to SpaceX and Starlink, among others.
Not only in business will he make a significant impact; Trump has also appointed Musk as a US Minister.
In Trump's plan, he intends to establish a Department of Government Efficiency, abbreviated as "DOGE."
The primary objectives of this department, as outlined in Trump's plan, are to dismantle governmental bureaucracy, reduce redundant regulations, cut wasteful spending, and reorganize federal agencies.
Trump has designated Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, a former Republican, to lead this department. If all goes as planned, Musk will serve as the Minister.
Upon learning of his appointment as the Minister of Efficiency, Musk was ecstatic, sharing the news on X and subsequently posting over 50 updates, outlining a series of subsequent actions for the efficiency department. He pledged to maintain "maximum transparency" by making all actions public through the media.
According to Musk, there are currently around 428 federal agencies, many of which are unfamiliar to the general public. I believe we can retain only 99 agencies, implying that 77% of departments will be eliminated. How many civil servants will lose their jobs?
Musk has previously stated that the new efficiency department could cut $2 trillion from the $6.5 trillion government budget, which is likely to be the next target.
Musk has already revealed numerous "dumbest expenditures" by the US government, such as $33.2 million spent on transgender monkey research, $4.5 million on spraying bobcat urine on alcoholic rats, $500,000 on studying whether quails have increased libido after cocaine consumption, $1.5 million on researching the effects of yoga on goats, and $1.66 million on studying the impact of COVID-19 on Russian women.
These projects are indeed hilarious. Musk plans to continue disclosing more of these absurd expenditures and aims to eliminate them to save costs.
However, this efficiency department is not a permanent arm of the US government but a temporary one, set to conclude no later than July 4, 2026, with a lifespan of at least 18 months.
It remains to be seen what significant moves Musk will make in these 18 months, but it is certain that many civil servants and agencies will be trembling in anticipation.
Currently, Musk's efficiency department is also recruiting, seeking individuals who are willing to work 80 hours a week without pay, possess exceptionally high intelligence, and advocate for a small government ideology. It remains to be seen if such individuals exist who are willing to contribute their efforts out of passion and join Musk's department.