Americans generally support the idea of reducing the size of the federal government, but recent national polling suggests that many are not satisfied with the methods being used by billionaire Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Following his recent election victory, President Donald Trump established DOGE with the goal of reforming and streamlining the federal government. Trump appointed Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, to lead this initiative.
In the early stages of the Trump administration, DOGE took aggressive steps to identify and cut what the administration describes as wasteful spending across federal agencies. This initiative has led to significant layoffs, and the actions taken by DOGE have attracted widespread attention and sparked numerous legal challenges.
According to a poll by NBC News, 46% of American voters believe creating DOGE was a positive step, while 40% disagree. Interestingly, nearly half of those surveyed, around 47%, express negative feelings toward DOGE, with 41% viewing it favorably.
Additionally, a separate poll conducted by Reuters/Ipsos found that 59% of Americans support downsizing the federal government, yet a majority, 59%, oppose the mass firing of federal employees. Only 38% agree with the administration’s layoffs, and 50% think that Trump and Musk have overshot their goals in slashing federal spending.
In his speeches, Trump has praised Musk for his work with DOGE, calling him a “real patriot” during a recent joint address to Congress. Nonetheless, public opinion on Musk himself isn’t very positive. NBC’s poll indicates that only 39% of respondents hold a favorable view of him, while 51% view him unfavorably.
A Quinnipiac University poll revealed that 60% of Americans disapprove of how Musk and DOGE are managing federal employees, with 54% believing that their actions could be harmful to the country.
Interestingly, Trump’s awareness of the negative perceptions surrounding Musk and DOGE has led him to take a more cautious approach. Recently, he advised his Cabinet secretaries that they would have the final say over staffing changes within their departments, emphasizing a more careful and tailored approach to downsizing instead of broad, sweeping cuts.
In summary, while there is support for reducing the size of the federal government, Americans have mixed feelings about the way it’s being handled. The administration will need to carefully consider public opinion as it continues its efforts to reform government efficiency.
