How Elon Musk's influence over Trump's administration is slowly fizzling out as even his DOGE caucus is declared 'dead'

Daily Mail​

14-05-2025

Elon Musk's DOGE has been declared 'dead' in Congress.
In November, Donald Trump appointed Musk to lead DOGE and House lawmakers eagerly set up a caucus with over a hundred members to support the effort.
The Congressional DOGE Caucus is comprised primarily of Republicans, though some more moderate Democrats, like Florida 's Rep. Jared Moskowitz, enthusiastically signed up.
Caucus members soon caught flak for DOGE's sweeping cuts and layoffs, and constituents vented their anger at GOP town halls with screaming and swearing about the government-trimming antics of the world's richest man.
The outrage was so acute that Musk's company Tesla was targeted by vandals globally and Democrats began participating in high-profile protests in front of federal agencies facing DOGE cuts.
Musk has since wound down his governmental role and Trump has indicated that, although his work will continue, the billionaire will instead be spending more time on his personal businesses including Tesla.
With Musk's departure the massive caucus in Congress is now defunct, says Moskowitz, who was its first Democratic member.
'The DOGE caucus is dead,' Moskowitz told CNN on Wednesday. 'It had two meetings in five months.'
'By the way, they forgot the E part of DOGE. Nothing has been more efficient.'
'Ask the people at Newark who are flying these days if they feel that we've made the FAA more efficient.'
In an interview with Politico, the Democrat shared that the caucus has not met in months and the group is a 'complete failure.'
In addition to practically all congressional Democrats, conservative Republicans have also had issues with the DOGE group.
Conservative Rep. Eli Crane, R-Ariz., reposted a clip of his friend Rep. Andy BIggs, R-Ariz., complaining about GOP members who are weak-stomached about enacting the sweeping cuts recommended by DOGE.
'We went from having a DOGE Caucus to this in less than six months. That's the swamp for you,' Crane posted on X.
The cost-cutting department claims to have saved $170 billion, according to its site.
However, to make many of those savings permanent Congress must vote to pass the funding changes, which many lawmakers seem reluctant to do.
As for the DOGE Caucus, it appears that it is even being wound down by its leaders.
When the Daily Mail reached out to the group's House email address a message was sent automatically saying the note was undeliverable - indicating that the DOGE Caucus's mailbox is no longer functioning.
The office of Rep. Aaron Bean, R-Fla., one of the co-chairs of the caucus, did not return the Daily Mail's request for comment.