On November 12, 2024, the world learned about Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy leading a new initiative in the Trump administration: the "Department of Government Efficiency" (DOGE). Although not a formal executive department, DOGE functions more like an independent advisory committee.
Its mission is ambitious: to “dismantle government bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure federal agencies.” DOGE will operate in collaboration with the White House and the Office of Management and Budget, providing guidance and recommendations from outside the traditional government framework.
Currently, the U.S. federal government has around 440 agencies and sub-agencies, many with overlapping responsibilities. Musk aims to reduce that number to 99 while achieving over $2 trillion in savings—nearly one-third of the federal government’s annual $6.7 trillion budget.
This bold plan brings to mind a phrase I often heard in my younger years: 精兵简政 (jīng bīng jiǎn zhèng), which translates to "streamlining the military and simplifying administration." Coined during China’s early revolutionary period in 1941, the phrase emphasized reducing excess personnel and bureaucracy to improve efficiency and effectiveness in governance and military operations.
With that level of savings, the reforms may include the elimination of entire departments, such as the Department of Education. However, such level of changes require Congressional approval. The line of accountability runs through Congress. While Trump could implement certain minor reforms across the executive branch, enacting broader structural changes would require legislation granting him presidential reorganization authority.
Historically, the 2008 Presidential Directives on reorganization authority set clear limits:
- Presidential reorganization plans could not create or abolish entire departments.
- Plans must address only one logically consistent subject matter.
- The president could submit no more than one plan every 30 days and had to include a clear statement of projected economic savings.
Trump holds a significant advantage in the current political landscape at least for the first two years, with Republicans holding a majority in both the Senate and the House. However, the Senate majority is slim, making it challenging to push through contentious changes. Achieving such transformational change will require considerable political capital and maneuvering.
By the way, it is reported that China had done the same back in 1982 when Deng Xiaoping established the Commission for Economic Reform, removing 39 out of 100 departments in the State Council, cutting bureaucrats from 50,000 to 30,000 in 18 months, in the DOGgEd spirit of 精兵简政.
Ultimately, Trump’s bold vision, guided by Musk and Vivek, represents an ambitious attempt to overhaul the bloated federal government. However, turning this vision into reality will require getting through numerous political hurdles, securing Congressional approval, and balancing the promise of efficiency with the challenges of execution. Whether this marks a transformative era or sparks a fresh wave of controversy and in-house fights remains to be seen. One thing is certain: grab your popcorn—there’s plenty of drama ahead.