Representatives from the Department of Government Efficiency visited the Pentagon on Friday for discussions with defense officials, initiating a fresh initiative aimed at reducing costs within the federal government.
“Fantastic kickoff with @DeptofDefense,” stated the DOGE X account on Friday. “Eager to collaborate on efficiently saving taxpayer money and eradicating waste, fraud, and abuse.”
Two officials from the defense sector confirmed the DOGE team’s visit, although the Defense Department refrained from disclosing the specific attendees of those discussions.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth informed reporters accompanying him in Europe that he looked forward to partnering with DOGE.
“We welcome DOGE at the Pentagon, and I hope to soon welcome Elon and his team to work alongside us,” Hegseth remarked last week. “There are inefficiencies and unnecessary positions within headquarters that need attention.”
The Defense Department manages an annual budget exceeding $800 billion and employs over 3 million personnel, which includes both civilian workers and military members. The nonpartisan Peter G. Peterson Foundation highlights that defense expenditures make up nearly half of all discretionary spending in the United States—47% in 2024—and that the U.S. outspends the next nine countries combined on defense.
“Identifying billions of dollars within the Defense Department—he’s correct to mention billions—is crucial; every dollar saved there supports our warfighters, benefiting the American populace,” Hegseth stated, noting that climate initiatives could be a potential area for budget reductions.
He did not specify other potential targets within the department’s budget.
Questions have arisen regarding oversight of DOGE’s cost-reduction initiative, particularly since it was established by Elon Musk, whose companies reportedly hold federal contracts totaling billions through SpaceX, Starlink, and Tesla. Reuters indicated that SpaceX CEO Gwynne Shotwell estimated the company has $22 billion in U.S. contracts, with $15 billion coming from NASA. However, an exact breakdown of Musk’s defense-related contracts is difficult to ascertain because many are classified.
A lawsuit filed by several Democratic state attorneys general against Mr. Trump and Musk challenges Musk’s role and his access to information in several departments. In response, the White House clarified that Musk is neither the administrator of DOGE nor an employee of it. Joshua Fisher, the White House director of the Office of Administration, characterized Musk’s involvement in a court filing as a special adviser to the president, comparable to Anita Dunn’s position in the Biden administration.
The lawsuit claims that Mr. Trump “delegated essentially unrestricted authority to Mr. Musk without appropriate legal approval from Congress.”
On multiple occasions, the Trump administration has portrayed Musk as the head of the cost-saving initiative. In the Oval Office last week, Mr. Trump requested Musk to share insights on what “your team” has discovered.
“Elon embodies great patriotism,” Hegseth commented during the press briefing in Europe, reinforcing that DOGE and the Defense Department would coordinate efforts.
“We will avoid actions that compromise American operational or tactical capabilities,” Hegseth concluded.
