DOGE, which is not actually a government department, wants to cut up to $2 trillion in annual spending. It alleges that DEI programs of any kind are “unconstitutional and unlawful, distort the free market through unnecessary regulations, and otherwise waste taxpayer money.”.
Musk, who has faced multiple lawsuits over alleged racism at his companies, is a vocal critic of DEI work. “’Diversity, Equity and Inclusion’ are propaganda words for racism, sexism and other-isms. This is just as morally wrong as any other racism and sexism. Changing the target class doesn’t make it right!”.
As DOGE prepares to identify potential cuts, agents representing the initiative have reportedly begun traveling across the country and interviewing staffers at 12 federal agencies. Musk and Trump have variously described DOGE’s plans as seeking between $500 million and $2 trillion in annual cuts to the federal budget.
DOGE’s reported anti-DEI cuts mirror the larger backlash against such work in the tech world. Ahead of Trump’s inauguration, Meta and Amazon have withdrawn from certain DEI initiatives. The former has also recently added Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO and Trump ally Dana White to its board, in a move seen as an attempt to gain favorable treatment from the new administration.
