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Elon Musk’s appointment to the new extra-governmental body raises some questions and concerns. Will the billionaire rise to the occasion?
The return of Donald Trump to the White House brought an unexpected twist – to lead the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE, in English).
This extra-governmental organization, with the name of a cryptocurrency memeaims to reformulate federal agencies, cut costs and eliminate bureaucratic waste. Musk’s involvement, however, raises questions about conflicts of interest.
Musk’s leadership style at SpaceX gives clues as to how he might approach his role at DOGE. SpaceX has become a dominant force in the aerospace sector by breaking traditional molds, prioritizing speed over caution.
The rockets exploded during development, but these failures were seen as steps towards ultimate success. Based on this philosophy, Musk can advocate for reducing regulations and accelerating processessimilar to his criticism of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Last month, for example, he criticized the FAA’s pace, arguing that overregulation could delay humanity’s journey to Mars. “Unless Trump wins and we get rid of the mountain of stifling regulations (that have nothing to do with safety!), humanity will never get to Mars,” Musk wrote on X.
The president-elect also emphasized DOGE’s mission to “dismantle government bureaucracy, reduce excessive regulation, cut unnecessary spending, and restructure federal agencies.”
Musk’s ambitions are likely to extend to federal space policy. SpaceX competes directly with traditional aerospace contractors like Boeing and Lockheed Martin, whose government contracts represent billions of dollars.
Musk could push for a more competitive bidding and a greater dependence on SpaceX technology for NASA missions, including lunar and Martian exploration.
Trump’s campaign with the president, Musk and Dogecoin’s Shiba Inu mascot, with Mars in the background. According to , Musk is prepared to become the new space czar the Trump.
However, Musk’s leadership style raises concerns. Yours impulsiveness, combined with its intense focus on personal priorities, it can conflict with DOGE’s broader mandate.
Musk’s management at SpaceX has been criticized for fostering an environment that prioritizes his vision over employee concerns. For example, safety recommendations are often reworded to align with SpaceX’s mission rather than directly addressing risks.
Musk also showed little tolerance for dissent. In 2022, SpaceX fired employees who criticized its behavior in a letter addressed to executives, calling their concerns a distraction from the company’s mission.
Despite DOGE’s mission to streamline government functions, Musk’s partnership with entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy as co-chair introduces a layer of complexity. Having two leaders instead of one raises questions about efficiency, something that goes against the very nature of the new body.
