The Trump administration's focus on reducing the size of the federal bureaucracy is a worthy effort. But current plans for widespread and indiscriminate cuts risk undermining vital government functions.
A smarter approach would include targeted cuts that address wasteful spending while strengthening high-value programs essential to national security, public health, and economic stability.
Certain programs within the federal government are undoubtedly wasteful and deserve re-evaluation. notable example NASA continues to rely on the Space Launch System for its Artemis moon landing program. The system, invented in 2011, has already cost taxpayers $11.8 billion in development costs and is expected to cost about $2 billion per launch.
By comparison, Elon Musk's Starship aims to be fully reusable, offering a far more economical alternative. Recent Starship launches have cost an estimated $100 million each, but Musk expects that to be cut to just $10 million per launch. The stark contrast in costs highlights the inefficiency of relying on space launch systems when more cost-effective private sector solutions are available. A transition to Starship or a similar system could save billions of dollars and is exactly the kind of efficiency that the Trump administration should prioritize.
However, some areas of federal government activity actually require increased funding to effectively carry out its mission and, perhaps counterintuitively, to save money.
One such area is combating the opioid epidemic. Specifically, the trafficking of synthetic opioids like fentanyl, which President-elect Donald Trump is tackling. strongly supported. Fentanyl, which is up to 50 times more potent than heroin, is responsible for an alarming increase in overdose deaths in the United States. To combat this crisis, the Treasury Department created the Anti-Fentanyl Strike Force, combining resources from the Office of Foreign Assets Control and the Treasury Department. Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. This task force aims to disrupt the financial networks that sustain the production and trafficking of fentanyl. I recently froze my assets. and dismantled a major financial hub associated with cartel activity.
Cutting funding and staffing for these efforts would undermine our ability to combat one of the nation's most pressing public health threats.
medicare fraud, Selection subjects Trump's concerns are another key area where further investment is needed to address them. The fraudulent scheme illustrates the vulnerability of federal programs to exploitation. for example, lincareThe company, a leading provider of home oxygen equipment, faced a lawsuit alleging it defrauded Medicare by improperly billing for services and products. In one settlement, the company agreed to pay $26 million to resolve allegations of fraud, highlighting systemic weaknesses in Medicare's oversight mechanisms.
Without enough auditors and compliance officers, the federal government cannot adequately detect and prevent such fraud. Therefore, investing in oversight has the potential to save taxpayers billions of dollars annually and protect Medicare's solvency for future generations.
The IRS is another example of this. During President Trump's first term, proposed Adds $362 million to IRS enforcement funding, arguing that effective tax collection generates revenue that far exceeds costs. There is evidence to support this view. a recent analysis Increased funding for the IRS under the Biden administration has strengthened tax enforcement, improved collections from tax evaders and expanded taxpayer services. For every dollar spent on enforcement, the IRS collected at least $5 in additional revenue.
Additionally, increased resources have allowed the IRS to modernize outdated systems, providing taxpayers with easier access to services and reducing return processing times. In contrast, cutting IRS resources would widen the tax gap, benefiting those who abuse the system at the expense of law-abiding Americans.
Despite these clear examples of programs delivering strong returns on investment, the new administration's main tool for streamlining government, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), headed by Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, is Looks like it's playing a role. dead set on Overall reduction. Part of this includes a universal return-to-work mandate designed to encourage federal employees to retire.
These mandates, aimed at reducing the federal workforce, have unintended consequences. When flexible work options are revoked, skilled professionals, especially those in information technology and cybersecurity roles, will be the first to leave federal jobs. This attrition poses a significant risk to national security, especially as cyber threats from adversaries such as China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran become increasingly sophisticated.
Federal agencies need to retain top talent to maintain a strong cybersecurity posture, which often depends on the ability to offer competitive working conditions, including remote flexibility. warned repeatedly.
Indiscriminate cuts to federal agencies risk disrupting essential services. For example, the IRS could lose its ability to effectively enforce tax laws, leading to billions of dollars in uncollected revenue. Public health programs to combat fentanyl trafficking and Medicare fraud could falter without adequate staffing and funding. These cuts not only undermine the government's ability to protect Americans, but could also increase the fiscal burden on taxpayers by widening tax deficits and forcing costly interventions in the future.
A more effective strategy would be to focus on targeted reforms that align with President Trump's goals of fiscal responsibility and national strength. One option is to implement zero-based budgeting. This is how each federal program must justify its funding from scratch, rather than relying on past spending.
This approach requires agencies to demonstrate the value of their spending and prioritize high-performing programs. Another solution is to use advanced data analytics to identify inefficiencies and fraud within federal operations. Tools such as artificial intelligence can sift through vast data sets to uncover patterns of waste and abuse, allowing for more precise interventions.
By contrast, indiscriminate cuts and (even worse) hostility toward government workers are ultimately counterproductive. There is a risk that tax burdens will increase, national security will be weakened and vital public services will be undermined.
Instead, the Trump administration should pursue a disciplined strategy that eliminates waste and strengthens programs essential to the nation's health, safety, and economic competitiveness. This approach not only ensures fiscal responsibility, but also aligns with the administration's broader vision for a leaner, more effective federal government.
By focusing on targeted reforms, the Trump administration could achieve significant reductions in bureaucracy while preserving and strengthening the government's ability to serve the American people. That is government efficiency.
Dr. Gleb Tsipursky is the CEO of a hybrid work consultancy disaster prevention expert The best-selling book “Return to the office and lead hybrid and remote teams.”
