Could Musk’s DOGE actually threaten innovation?

At first, Elon Musk’s “Department of Government Efficiency” looks like the most Silicon Valley-style project one could imagine. But now that they’ve laid out their plans for the “department” (actually an advisory commission outside government) in a Wall Street Journal op-ed, concern is bubbling up—even in the tech world—that the project might suffer from a couple other very Silicon Valley qualities: ego and overpromising. It’s not clear to many experts that the pair’s plans, as detailed as they sound, are a serious toolkit for tackling the DC bureaucracy. There’s even concern they could backfire, and that two self-proclaimed innovators could end up tearing down much of the essential infrastructure that ushers along American innovation. “They’re making very large promises upon which it’s not clear how they can deliver,” said American Enterprise Institute Senior Fellow Kevin Kosar.