Why Elon Musk Wants His Role as a “Volunteer IT Consultant” at DOGE (Image Credit: AP)

Elon Musk, the world’s richest person, has expressed his desire to become a “volunteer IT consultant” in the new Trump administration Ministry of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Musk considers this title appropriate due to the poor state of the US government’s computers and software.
On Monday, Musk shared his concerns and wrote a post on the social media platform

In his post, Musk pointed out that federal systems are so outdated that they often fail to verify that payments are free of fraud, waste or abuse. He further explained, “That is why the government cannot pass basic tests. You often literally don’t know where your tax dollars went. It’s crazy.”
Tesla’s CEO also pointed to a 2019 government regulator report showing that several Federal IT systems They are in critical condition and are costing the government around $337 million annually to maintain.

These outdated systems, the report said, pose security risks due to known vulnerabilities.
Musk wants to highlight the inefficiencies of the current system, which he says undermines government operations and hinders progress in addressing national deficits. At his side on this mission is billionaire Vivek Ramaswamy, who briefly ran for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024.
The duo co-run DOGE, an organization dedicated to finding ways to improve the stewardship of taxpayer dollars by reducing waste, fraud and abuse in government programs.
While DOGE’s exact authority remains uncertain, Musk and Ramaswamy have already begun to focus on areas where they believe immediate improvements can be made. Her priorities include eliminating inefficiencies in entitlement programs.
According to the Washington Times, Rep Marjorie Taylor GreeneWho leads a DOGE subcommittee in the House of Representatives, has mentioned that Musk and Ramaswamy may create “naughty” and “nice” lists based on lawmakers’ spending records, further scrutinizing government spending.