Washington Lobbyists Turn to Musk’s DOGE to Influence Trump

  • Defense contractors, medical groups report lobbying the DOGE
  • Lawmakers appeal to the DOGE on issues in their purview
Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy on Capitol Hill on Dec. 5, 2024. Photographer: Al Drago/Bloomberg
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The legions of lobbyists who have long worked the halls of Congress and federal agencies to secure their policy priorities have a new target: A shadow federal department run by the world’s richest man, Elon Musk.

The Musk-run initiative, dubbed the Department of Government Efficiency, is supposed to advise President-elect Donald Trump on spending cuts and regulatory reform. It doesn’t yet — and may never — have any formalized responsibilities or authority. So far, its recruits have been organizing in clandestine meetings blocks from the White House.