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Recent polling suggests that narrow majorities of Americans support billionaire Elon Musk's influence over government agencies, as well as President Donald Trump's efforts to reduce the overall federal workforce.
Newsweek reached out to the White House for comment via email on Thursday.
Why It Matters
Musk, the world's wealthiest man, has been spearheading the efforts of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to cut government staffing and reduce federal spending. The moves have faced significant backlash from Democrats and some Republicans, as thousands face job losses.
Trump and Musk critics have also raised concerns about spending cuts harming the American people. They say that popular programs like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid could be on the chopping block, and that many veterans are losing their jobs. Trump and GOP leaders have said they don't plan to cut these programs, although they have said they want to weed out alleged fraud within them.
What to Know
Despite the public criticism and backlash, polling carried out by CBS News/YouGov from February 26 to 28 shows that slim majorities back Musk's involvement and the reduction in the federal workforce.
When asked about how much influence Musk and the DOGE task force should have over the spending and operations of U.S. government agencies, 54 percent said they should have "a lot" or "some." Just 30 percent responded "none," while an additional 16 percent said "not much."
Republicans and Independents were more likely to support DOGE's influence on government spending with 81 percent of Republicans and 59 of Independents saying it should have at least some. Among Democrats, 31 percent of Democrats think DOGE and Musk should have at least some influence.
A narrow majority also backed Trump's efforts to reduce the number of people working at federal government agencies. In response to that question, 51 percent said they "approve" while 49 percent said they "disapprove."
Opinions were largely split among party lines with 87 percent of Republicans backing Trump reducing federal government staffing and 86 percent of Democrats disapproving.
Similarly, 51 percent of said they believe there is "a lot" of wasteful spending happening in the government. An additional 36 percent said there is "some," while only 2 percent said "none" and 11 percent "not much." When it comes to government spending in general, 58 percent said it should be a "high priority" for Trump to address the issue.
The survey included 2,311 U.S. adults and had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 percentage points.
A recent NPR/PBS News/Marist poll, however, showed that a plurality (44 percent) of respondents had an unfavorable view of DOGE. Meanwhile, 39 percent had a favorable view. That survey was conducted from February 24 to 26 among 1,694 U.S. adults, with a margin of error of plus or minus 2.8 percentage point.
What People Are Saying
CNN polling analyst Harry Enten said on Thursday's broadcast: "This to me, was one of the more shocking figures that I saw. Made me go, 'Wait a minute. Hold on one second. Whoa!' .... But these cuts and the idea of spending cuts, at least within the federal government and cutting a government agencies that actually has majority support. I was truly surprised by this, but the numbers are the numbers."
Elon Musk during a Trump cabinet meeting at the end of February: "We simply cannot sustain a country with $2tn deficits. The interest on the national debt now exceeds the defense department spending... If this continues, the country will become de facto bankrupt."
Trump on DOGE during his State of the Union address on Tuesday: "Thank you, Elon. He's working very hard. He didn't need this. He didn't need this. Thank you very much. We appreciate it."
Senator Bernie Sanders, a progressive independent from Vermont, said Thursday in a committee hearing, according to prepared remarks emailed to Newsweek: "The person who is running the government right now is Elon Musk. Mr. Musk has taken it upon himself, with the support of President Trump, to virtually dismantle the United States government."
Representative Morgan McGarvey, a Kentucky Democrat, posted on X, formerly Twitter on Thursday: "Tim Nicolazzi dedicated his life to service — a few weeks ago, he was fired. No notice, no severance, no compassion. I'm cosponsoring the Protect Veteran Jobs Act to reinstate vets — like Tim — who have been illegally fired by Elon Musk and DOGE."
What Happens Next
Many of DOGE's actions have been challenged by lawsuits, which are currently playing out in the federal court system. Trump and most Republicans continue to back Musk's and DOGE's efforts, and additional cuts are expected to continue.
Correction, 3/7/25 at 11:48 a.m. ET: The state McGarvey represents was corrected.
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About the writer
Jason Lemon is a Senior Politics Editor at Newsweek based in Brooklyn, New York. Prior to taking on the editor role, Jason's reporting focused ... Read more