The Republican-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has intrigued the progressive left, offering unexpected potential common ground.
The brainchild of Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswami was joined by Sens. Bernie Sanders (D-Vermont), John Fetterman (D-Pennsylvania), and Congressman Ro Khanna (D-Calif.). piqued the interest of some Democratic populists. Capitol Hill supports an economics-first approach to politics.
Early curiosity points to some overlap between the left and the right, whose views on excessive government spending, particularly on the military, have created an unlikely alliance that could materialize in the new Trump era. It becomes a window to know.
“This is a combination of pragmatism, opportunity and a chance to be in the spotlight,” said a political observer with ties to dissident figures in Trump's inner circle.
“This is smart politics,” the official said. “And Mr. Musk is actually more rational and open to other people's points of view.”
As President-elect Donald Trump prepares for his inauguration in January, two wealthy tech outsiders who have become key allies are vowing to clean up government agency bloat. Lawmakers have had mixed reactions to both the concept and practicality of the initiative. Since the organization exists outside parliament, there is little authorities can do to stop it, but its functioning is questionable. The two tech entrepreneurs say they want to cut spending on an ambitious $2 trillion.
Despite early criticism, interest in the effort points to the possibility of unconventional bipartisanship, opening the door to something beyond the usual ideological divides. One prominent left-wing media source told The Hill that “there was some behind-the-scenes work to see if the meeting was meaningful” between Musk and Ramaswamy. This is an example of that possible impact.
On Capitol Hill, the potential for synergy is even more pronounced.
“Elon Musk is right,” Sanders wrote on Musk's social platform X about his preferred defensive angle. The Vermont independent is one of the most vocal opponents of large military spending, a position that has become more mainstream as Americans turn against the war.
“The Department of Defense, with an $886 billion budget, has failed seven consecutive audits, leaving billions of dollars unaccounted for,” Sanders wrote.
Progressives find common ground with anti-interventionist Republicans on the Pentagon, and Mr. Trump occupies a unique position in this area. He campaigned as a former commander-in-chief who never led any wars and won support from supporters who want a change from President Biden's foreign policy principles.
Sanders is a top liberal who shares that criticism with those on the right, but other people in Sanders' inner circle include Musk, who also owns SpaceX and Tesla, and Ramaswami, who challenged Trump for the Republican nomination. He said he would like to hear more from him.
Khanna, Sanders' former campaign co-chairman and Silicon Valley figurehead, spoke positively about the billionaire tech entrepreneur's work with former President Barack Obama and then-Secretary of Defense Ash Carter. .
“When it comes to defense, I think there's a lot of bipartisan cooperation to strengthen defense at value and reduce costs,” Khanna told ABC News. At the same time, he warned about cutting programs that are considered a reliable cornerstone of government. “They shouldn't touch Social Security a dime. They shouldn't touch it. [Consumer Financial Protection Bureau]. They should not touch Medicare regarding this funding. ”
Khanna, who hails from Silicon Valley, has a different position from other leftists. He sees technology as central to the longevity of the Democratic Party, and believes that rather than shunning entrepreneurs in the field and their emerging technologies, he can integrate both into government to foster economic growth.
“No one can accuse Bernie Sanders or Ro Khanna of being opportunists,” said Hassan Martini, a progressive strategist. “They have a long history of calling it as they see it. They command the respect of their colleagues and constituents, so when they speak, people pay attention.”
For now, Republicans familiar with President Trump's governing style are cautiously optimistic about buy-in from progressives. Some see new potential in expanded cooperation outside Congress, which Republican and Democratic leaders have struggled to find in a bipartisan environment.
“It seems authentic,” said a Republican official who previously worked for Trump's campaign. “Especially on defense spending,” the official added, “Democrats have traditionally been skeptical of this for different reasons than the right.”
Fetterman, another populist rising star in the Democratic caucus, has joined the cabal.
“I respect Mr. Musk,” he told reporters last week. “Yes, he's on another team, but that doesn't make him my enemy.”
Mr. Fetterman's populist leanings helped him win the Senate seat, making him one of the first Democrats to say he would consider some of Mr. Trump's Cabinet nominees.
Pete D'Alessandro, who served as an adviser to Sanders' 2016 campaign, said that the bigger problem is to be mean and oppose the policies of both sides, regardless of what they are proposing. , agreed that it was angering voters. “One of the things they're frustrated with is the idea that Republicans will oppose Democrats just to oppose Democrats,” D'Alessandro said. “And Democrats are doing the same thing.”
Martini agrees. “I've always advocated that if there's a good idea, we should adopt it. I'm not saying DOGE is a good idea, but I especially support eliminating waste in the federal government. [the Department of Defense]“I think millions of Americans feel the same way,” he added.
