Musk’s role is a glaring conflict of interest; SpaceX has been an aerospace contractor for years and could stand to profit nicely from the creation of DOGE, which could shift government functions to private companies in the name of cost-cutting.

We should be able to get away with 99 agencies,” he added in the interview posted on Musk’s social media platform X on Tuesday. For Musk’s 200-million-plus followers on X, the billionaire’s commentary signaled a government demolition operation — one that neatly dovetails with President-elect Donald Trump’s deregulatory plans,

Musk wants to gamify the act of slashing government spending. Experts say it will get people to pay attention — but also carries risks.