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The Conversation
The Conversation
Politics
Peter Vanberkel, Professor, Department of Industrial Engineering, Dalhousie University

Musk’s ruthless approach to efficiency is not translating well to the U.S. government

Elon Musk Donald Trump Tesla Inc. the National Nuclear Security Administration TwitterX United States USAid

Elon Musk has been steadily expanding his political influence since being designated a “special government employee” by United States President Donald Trump in January.

Appointed to lead the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Musk has moved to transform government operations by pushing for mass layoffs of government employees and attempting to shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

Musk’s ruthless drive for efficiency has served him exceptionally well at Space X and Tesla, but can the same approach work in government where the stakes are much higher and services are more closely tied to people’s lives?

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