One of the top voices in the Republican Party is unhappy with the GOP’s “betrayal” of its voters on failing to help the Department of Government Efficiency effort to cut waste, fraud, and abuse in government spending.
“@elonmusk took massive incoming — including attacks on his companies as well as personal smears — to lead the effort on @DOGE,” DeSantis wrote on X. “He became public enemy #1 of legacy media around the world.
“To see Republicans in Congress cast aside any meaningful spending reductions (and, in fact, fully fund things like USAID) is demoralizing and represents a betrayal of the voters who elected them.”
DeSantis’ rebuke came in a reply to former U.S. Department of Energy nuclear scientist’s Matt Van Swol calling of the GOP’s failure to vote to codify DOGE’s cost-cutting initiatives.
“DOGE is literally one of the most popular government initiatives in history: 73% of Americans say they support cutting government waste,” Van Swol posted on X. “Trump brought in the smartest man on earth to do it … the Left destroyed Elon for it … the GOP won’t vote on it I can’t believe this.”
The post also received a sigh of defeat from Musk himself.
“Did my best,” Musk lamented in an X reply.
“Thank you for everything,” Van Swol replied back.
“I guess it’s time to go to Mars.”
The reluctance from the House GOP and Senate come as the focus was placed on passing President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act with narrow margins in both chambers.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has already said Democrats are unified in voting against Trump’s agenda. No Democrats voted for the bill in the House, with Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., even voting against it, while House Freedom Caucus Chair Andy Harris, R-Md., merely voting present to free its passage.
“The focus right now is the reconciliation bill,” a White House official told Politico earlier this month on GOP’s reluctance to include codification of DOGE. “I think there’s an appetite within Capitol Hill, within the two years that we have to codify the work of DOGE.
“The procedures of Capitol Hill may not allow for it to happen now but it doesn’t mean it won’t happen later.”
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., was diplomatic on the realities of the narrow margins. “I think they don’t want to lose the vote, so I think they may be concerned about the sensibility,” Hawley told Politico.
Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., was far more dismissive, saying the GOP is too busy to rid government of the waste, fraud, and abuse left over from former Democrat President Joe Biden’s administration that was unearthed by DOGE.
“I don’t know that we should be taking our limited legislative time to look at that,” Wicker incredulously told Politico. “I don’t think legislation is called for.”