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Two influential Democratic lawmakers have come out in support of Elon Musk’s criticism of US defense spending as he continues to vow major reforms in the Pentagon’s budget.
Something you should know before you read: For decades, both Democrat and Republican lawmakers have criticized the Pentagon for its history of wasteful spending and financial mismanagement. Despite its $886 billion budget, the Department of Defense has repeatedly failed to account for significant portions of its assets and expenditures, earning a reputation for inefficiency and a lack of fiscal transparency. Since Congress mandated annual audits in 2018, the Pentagon has failed all seven audits, with billions of dollars unaccounted for in each assessment. Lawmakers have pointed to systemic issues, including inflated contracts, fraud, and limited competition among defense contractors, as key contributors to the persistent problems. In response to growing scrutiny, the Pentagon has stated it is committed to achieving a clean audit and claims to be making progress toward meeting the congressional deadline of 2028.

Getting into it: Last week, Elon Musk criticized the Pentagon’s financial inefficiency, stating, “The Pentagon, with a budget of $886 billion, just failed its 7th audit in a row. It’s lost track of billions.” Senator Bernie Sanders echoed Musk’s concerns, tweeting, “Elon Musk is right. The Pentagon, with a budget of $886 billion, just failed its 7th audit in a row. It’s lost track of billions. Last year, only 13 senators voted against the Military Industrial Complex and a defense budget full of waste and fraud. That must change.” Musk responded to Sanders’s post with two American flag emojis.
In addition to Senator Sanders, Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna also voiced support for scrutinizing the Pentagon’s spending and echoed calls for reform. Khanna added, “When it comes to cutting waste, fraud, and abuse and opening the 5 primes to more competition, there are Democrats on [the House Armed Services Committee] who will work with @elonmusk and @DOGE,” Khanna wrote in a post on X, referring to Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.
This all comes as Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy have been appointed to lead the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an initiative spearheaded by former President Donald Trump to tackle inefficiencies and waste within the federal government. DOGE’s mission is to “slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures,” and streamline federal operations by providing external guidance to government agencies. Working alongside the White House’s Office of Management and Budget, the department aims to identify and reform wasteful spending practices, with a particular focus on areas like defense procurement and agency accountability.
Some criticism: Critics have raised concerns about Elon Musk’s involvement in the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), citing potential conflicts of interest due to his significant role as a defense contractor through SpaceX, which holds lucrative contracts with the US government. Skeptics argue that Musk’s leadership in an initiative aimed at cutting waste and improving efficiency in government spending may be compromised by his vested interests in maintaining and expanding his own government-funded projects. Additionally, Musk’s companies have benefited from federal contracts and subsidies, which some view as contradictory to his critique of government inefficiency.