More than 70 percent of swing voters who voted for Donald Trump in the 2024 Presidential Election approve of Elon Musk’s work inside the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
In a limited Axios/Sage/Engagious poll of 11 Arizona voters, eight of them, or approximately 72 percent, approved of the billionaire’s efforts of exposing government corruption, according to Axios.
‘I approve based on the theme or just the ideology behind it,’ participant Carson L. told the focus group.
‘You could almost even call it a cleansing, if you will, of what’s going on within the government, because we as American people have the right to know certain things, especially involving our government since they are supposed to be public servants for us.’
All of those who participated the poll had previously voted for Joe Biden in 2020 before switching to Trump in the 2024 election, according to Axios.
However, only two of them considered themselves Republican, while eight were Independent and one was a Democrat.
Pollee Jonas G. agreed with Carson, saying he believed Musk will ‘put us back on track to being a free country.’
‘I think he sees where things are headed and he didn’t like where things were headed,’ Jonas told the group. ‘I think that’s why he’s investing in doing all this, because he wants us to be able to have a constitution and be free.
In a limited Axios/Sage/Engagious poll of 11 Arizona voters, eight of them, or approximately 72 percent, approved of Elon Musk’s efforts of exposing government corruption
All of those who participated the poll had previously voted for Joe Biden in 2020 before switching to Trump in the 2024 election
‘I like how he’s cleaning house in the government.’
However, very few of them approved at how fast Musk and Trump were ripping through the government, which included pausing federal spending.
‘Sometimes, I kind of stick by: “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it” type of thing,’ poll respondent Eugene T, who disapproves of Musk, said.
‘And every time the [political] party changes or a new candidate comes in, that’s the format, [to] just to come in and move fast and change and break things that they think are broken, so that’s why I kind of don’t rock with that ideology.’
Although Eugene agreed things needed fixed in the government, he didn’t agree with the ‘wrecking ball’ pace the Trump Administration has taken since January 20, Inauguration Day.
When asked if he thought Musk was moving too fast and breaking too many things, he replied: ‘Oh yeah.’
Although only two voters wondered if Musk is really running the government – as liberals have suggested – poll participant Courtney L., who believed Trump is truly in charge, said the Tesla owner was in search of ‘power.’
‘If he’s Trump’s right-hand man, then, he at least has the image of power,’ she told the group.
Eight out of 11 polled (pictured with the moderator) liked Musk’s efforts, but many thought he was moving too fast
Others also expressed concerns over the billionaire’s personal gains from his status in DOGE, which is looking into several agencies investigating his companies.
Despite some reservations, most view Musk favorably.
‘These swing voters are delighted by Musk’s Trump-endorsed government housecleaning,’ Engagious President Rich Thau told Axios.
‘The prospect of a looming constitutional crisis is completely inconceivable to them,’ Thau, who also moderated the focus groups, said.
Since Trump took office, Musk’s DOGE has gotten access to at least 15 different federal agencies, ABC News reported.
One of the first moves the Trump administration and DOGE took was ordering the feds to lay off nearly all probationary workers who had not yet gained civil service protection.
In addition, workers at some agencies were warned that large workplace cuts would be coming, in moves that could effect 200,000 employees.
Trump´s initial attempt to downsize the workforce was the deferred resignation program, commonly described as a buyout, which offered to pay people until Sept. 30 if they agreed to quit.
Since Trump took office, Musk’s DOGE has gotten access to at least 15 different federal agencies
The White House said 75,000 people signed up, and a federal judge cleared a legal roadblock for the program on Wednesday.
However, the number of workers who took the offer was less than the administration’s target, and Trump has made it clear he would take further steps.
Musk has also set his sights on the powerful government agency that controls Medicare and Medicaid payments, going through financial systems to see where funds are being spent.
Musk’s team at DOGE has been on-site at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) where they received access to key payment and contracting systems.
The DOGE team have accessed similar systems at the Treasury Department and held a meeting at the Labor Department as part of their mandate to cut federal spending and the size of the government.
Perhaps most famously, USAID saw all its staff put on leave and DOGE has attempted to freeze all spending, though that is currently tied up in the courts.
The agency also took aim at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) as workers at the watchdog agency became the latest federal employees told not to report for work.
Employees at the CFPB were informed over the weekend not to come into the offices through at least February 14, according to a memo.
Acting head Russell Vought also directed people at the agency to stop their work and stand down.
The organization has also gotten access to the departments of defense, treasury and education, as well as the Federal Aviation Administration, FEMA, NOAA and the IRS.
The department has canceled more than $180million in contracts from the Department of Health and Human Services – including nearly $170,000 allocated for a museum exhibit on Dr Anthony Fauci.
DOGE announced on social media Friday that it canceled 62 contracts at HHS over the course of 48 hours.
‘These contacts were entirely for administrative expenses – none touched any healthcare programs,’ DOGE wrote.
DOGE is not a government department but a small team in Trump’s administration. It works out of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, across the street from the White House.
