Apple News In Conversation
Inside Elon Musk’s digital government takeover
Mar 27, 2025
Leah Feiger, Senior Politics Editor at Wired, and Zoë Schiffer, Head of Business and Industry at Wired, dive into the tumultuous changes within federal agencies sparked by Elon Musk's controversial initiatives. They share insights from over 150 sources, revealing the confusion and upheaval affecting federal workers. Topics include Musk's 'Doge' efforts to inject startup-style management, alarming data privacy threats, and the real human impacts of these technological transformations, urging a shift towards personal stories amid broader political narratives.
28:50
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Quick takeaways
- Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency has implemented drastic changes, including mass firings and budget cuts, aiming to reduce waste and improve performance.
- Concerns about privacy and data misuse have arisen from Doge's extensive data collection, raising questions about accountability and citizen vulnerability.
Deep dives
Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency
Elon Musk's initiative, known as the Department of Government Efficiency, or Doge, has implemented significant changes across multiple federal agencies. The team operates with a focus on reducing government waste and fraud, aiming to save billions daily through extensive budget cuts and staff layoffs. Critics have raised alarm over the group's lack of transparency and accountability, questioning their legal authority to make such sweeping changes without Congress's approval. Despite these concerns, Musk asserts that their actions align with legal requirements, aiming to improve government efficiency.
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