DOGE chair Joni Ernst keeping close contact with Elon Musk as Trump admin slashes spending
Senate Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Caucus Chairwoman Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, has revealed that she is in regular communication with billionaire Elon Musk, who is spearheading the administration’s efforts to reduce wasteful spending. In an interview with Fox News Digital, Ernst disclosed that she and Musk exchange ideas every few days, with her sending him additional cost-saving suggestions as they come up.
During a meeting at President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida last November, Ernst handed Musk an eight-page memorandum blueprint outlining various cost-saving ideas. According to Ernst, Musk has taken these ideas and is actively implementing them. She mentioned that she simply sends new ideas directly to Musk, who then often tweets about them.
Ernst expressed surprise at the unlikely partnership, stating that she never imagined she would be working with the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX on auditing government spending. However, she commended Musk for his dedication to the cause.
Since Trump assumed office, the DOGE Caucus has been diligently auditing agencies and departments in the executive branch to identify unnecessary or wasteful spending. This initiative has faced opposition from Democrats, who have protested outside government buildings where audits are taking place. Some Democrats have even attempted to enter the buildings but were stopped.
On the other hand, Republicans have been supportive of the DOGE Caucus’s efforts. Ernst praised the progress made so far, describing it as “tremendous.” In response to criticisms about the legality of the audits and access to information, Ernst maintained that scrutinizing the executive branch’s expenditures is within the president’s rights.
She emphasized that it is essential to examine expenditures, especially when funds are allocated to programs that were not anticipated by Congress. Ernst highlighted the significant amount of money being directed towards Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives and other programs uncovered by DOGE.
Fox News Digital reached out to Musk’s DOGE for comment but did not receive a response. Julia Johnson, a politics writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business, leads coverage of the U.S. Senate and was previously a politics reporter at the Washington Examiner.
Follow Julia’s reporting on Twitter at @JuliaaJohnson_ and send tips to Julia.Johnson@fox.com.
