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<ul class="summary-list"><li>The Department of Government Efficiency wouldn't be a department, but an outside advisory group.</li><li>Under current law, Congress needs to approve most budget changes, limiting the DOGE's power.</li></ul>President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday announced a new effort to slash what he sees as federal inefficiency, with Elon Musk as cost-cutter-in-chief.Trump <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-trump-cabinet-election-x-2024-9">made good on a campaign promise</a> when he tapped Musk to co-lead the proposed "Department of Government Efficiency," or DOGE, alongside former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.Musk says he wants to cut $2 trillion from the federal budget to make it more efficient and effective. Beyond that, though, little is known about how the DOGE will function and how much power it — <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-adopts-elon-musk-plan-cut-government-spending-efficiency-reform-2024-9">and Musk</a> — will have.Musk did not respond to Business Insider's request for comment for this article. A representative for Ramaswamy declined to comment.<h2 id="2dc0c03e-9977-4403-9201-3d55e844524d">What do we know about the DOGE?</h2>Despite its name, the DOGE will <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musks-doge-gets-a-government-checkmark-on-x-2024-11">not actually be a government department</a>, as departments are permanent and can only be created by Congress. Instead, it will function "outside of the government" and disband by July 4, 2026, Trump said in a statement.<div type="image" title="Trump and Musk at a rally" height="2584" width="4184" msid="115360794" hostid="261" sizebytes="161264"></div>The name DOGE is an homage to Musk's preferred cryptocurrency, Dogecoin, which shot up in value after Trump won the election. Under current law, the DOGE might not be able to accomplish much, since Congress controls federal spending."They have no power. No power at all," Elaine Kamarck, a senior fellow at the nonpartisan Brookings Institute who led efforts to reform the federal government under former President Bill Clinton, told Business Insider. "They do make recommendations, and once they make recommendations, the expectation is that the government will act on them."There's no guarantee that a recommendation will turn into a policy, especially given that many of the DOGE's suggestions will likely require congressional approval, Kamarck said.<h2 id="0f11a880-6c1f-4025-a722-a860ae33d16c">The DOGE's $2 trillion goal is something of a pipe dream.</h2>Federal spending <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-elon-musk-vivek-ramaswamy-department-government-efficiency-doge-2024-11">reached $6.75 trillion in 2024</a>. Multiple experts told BI that it's unlikely Musk will be able to cut his desired $2 trillion without sacrificing programs that have wide bipartisan support or fall under federal mandatory spending, like Medicare and Social Security. Kamarck called the $2 trillion goal the "most unrealistic" part of the whole DOGE plan.Trump has long been preoccupied with cutting what he sees as Washington's waste and fraud."The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) will ultimately be staffed and dedicated to this mission," Brian Hughes, a spokesperson for Trump's transition team, told BI in a statement.Quoting former Rep. Barney Frank, Kamarck said that excess federal spending is "marbled" <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-vivek-ramaswamy-doge-government-efficiency-what-us-spends-2024-11">throughout the budget</a>, like fat throughout a steak, making the DOGE's desired $2 trillion in cuts tricky."It just doesn't work, unless you decide to start cutting Social Security benefits or Medicare, at which point all hell breaks loose," she told BI. "And you know, the bromance between Trump and Musk will end very quickly."Known for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-efficiency-companies-tesla-spacex-x-2024-11">streamlining efficiency at his companies</a>, Musk says he wants to cut bureaucracy, shrink the federal workforce, and trim the number of federal agencies down to no more than 99 (there are currently <a target="_blank" href="https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies">more than 440</a>).Douglas Holtz-Eakin, the former director of the Congressional Budget Office, told BI that he doubted that the loosely defined group would be able to accomplish much given its sprawling $2 trillion target."It is hard for me to get seriously ginned up about it until there's a real structure there that suggests that this makes some sense and has a purpose," he said. "If something is designed to do everything, it will do nothing."<h2 id="6bcaf431-1be5-4839-9b83-d0f24a7146cf">The DOGE will exist "outside of government."</h2>In one scenario, the DOGE could function as an advisory committee, which Trump can create through an executive order. The president-elect said the DOGE will work with the Office of Management and Budget, which prepares the president's budget request for Congress."They have made clear that this is a non-governmental department, which is not a familiar term, and so it's not really clear how the organization will operate because of that," Lisa Gilbert, co-president of the progressive nonprofit advocacy group Public Citizen, told BI. "It might be an advisory committee of non-governmental actors, but even from that posture, it won't have the authority to alter budgets or fire employees or rescind regulations."<div type="image" title="Donald Trump and Elon Musk" height="1910" width="2707" msid="115360796" hostid="261" sizebytes="118134"></div>Kamarck said that there are specific rules laying out how much interaction external committees can have with the government, but it's not clear how Trump, Musk, and Ramaswamy envision the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-doge-hiring-staff-how-to-apply-2024-11">internal infrastructure of the DOGE</a>."How are they going to talk to each other? How are they going to meet with each other? Are they going to go talk to anybody in the government, or are they just going to make up things from 50 miles away?" she said.On November 14, the DOGE <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/DOGE/status/1857076831104434289">said in a post on X</a> that it is seeking "super high-IQ small-government revolutionaries willing to work 80+ per week on unglamorous cost-cutting." Musk said on his <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1857112441529700671">personal X account</a> that the positions will not be paid.<h2 id="4c25da3e-39de-44e2-a1c5-c7249f9fc728">Trump has talked about changing a key law that limits his federal spending power.</h2>Trump, Musk, and Ramaswamy may try to circumvent the congressional obstacles standing in the way of their cost-cutting agenda. Last year, Trump expressed interest in going after the Impoundment Control Act, a 1974 provision that requires the president spend funds that Congress has appropriated."Bringing back Impoundment will give us a crucial tool with which to obliterate the Deep State, Drain the Swamp, and starve the Warmongers," the president-elect <a target="_blank" href="https://www.donaldjtrump.com/agenda47/agenda47-using-impoundment-to-cut-waste-stop-inflation-and-crush-the-deep-state">said in a video</a> in June 2023.Holtz-Eakin said attempting to skirt the impoundment act would be like rewriting history, and Kamarck told BI that any attempt to not spend money that Congress has appropriated poses big Constitutional questions."If he tries to change the law so that he can impound funds, my guess is there'll be a fight in the Congress and he'll lose," she said.<h2 id="4956dc95-91da-4028-b1b3-d843a1509397">Musk could bump up against many conflicts of interest but likely wouldn't have to divest from his companies.</h2>If the DOGE is a federal advisory committee, Musk and Ramaswamy would likely be "special government employees," who are experts or consultants that can work for a federal agency or the White House for up to 130 days. They do not get paid and, crucially, would not have to divest from their companies."They've been clear also that they're staying in their roles as the heads of companies and in other places," Gilbert said. "Not being a part of government means they don't have to deconflict themselves."In a press release for Public Citizen, Gilbert said that Musk's "own businesses have regularly run afoul of the very rules he will be in position to attack" as the DOGE co-lead.<div type="image" title="Donald Trump and Vivek Ramaswamy" height="5504" width="8256" msid="115360795" hostid="261" sizebytes="4296554"></div>In the role, Musk and Ramaswamy would still be bound to federal ethics laws and have to recuse themselves from conversations that affect them personally, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-11-14/doge-what-can-musk-do-with-the-department-of-government-efficiency?srnd=homepage-americas">Bloomberg</a> reported. With his companies under investigation from at least 20 federal regulatory agencies and SpaceX having more than $15 billion in federal contracts, Musk could face many such conflicts.Kamarck said that there's no "firm line" about when employees need to take themselves out of discussions, but that lawyers address questions on a case-by-case basis.Musk has expressed public frustration with what he views as overbearing federal oversight, which he said has <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/12/us/politics/elon-musk-vivek-ramaswamy-trump.html">slowed down his pace of business</a>.By law, meetings of advisory committees, like the kind the DOGE could be, need to be open, and Musk has no problem with the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-doge-leaderboard-federal-government-spending-trump-2024-11">transparency</a> — in fact, he seems to invite it. In a post on X, the billionaire promised to post all of the group's actions online <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-leaderboard-government-spending-marketing-genius-doge-donald-trump-2024-11">"for maximum transparency</a>" and said the public should chime in with their opinions.It's also possible the group might intentionally avoid becoming a federal committee because of the increased oversight and scrutiny, Holtz-Eakin said."It's not a federal committee as far as I can tell," he said. "I think that's deliberate. If you do that, then you're subject to lots of things like a conflict of interest you have to sign off on, and I think that would be a nightmare for Mr. Musk. And so they're not going to let it tiptoe toward federal jurisdiction."Until Trump actually forms the DOGE, if he ever does, the legal and bureaucratic details remain murky, and the experts BI spoke with aren't convinced that it will work well."It sounds a little screwy, frankly," Kamarck said.

How Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency could actually work

<keyword id="24240143" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chennai-International-Airport" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Chennai International Airport" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Chennai International Airport">Chennai International Airport</keyword> has been temporarily shut down till 7 PM on Saturday in view of <keyword id="24172195" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Cyclone-Fengal" source="keywords">cyclone Fengal</keyword> making landfall today evening. As heavy rainfall and strong winds intensified ahead of the cyclone, it is expected to cross between Karaikal and Mahabalipuram coasts, near Puducherry tonight. Multiple airlines companies already issued travel advisories and updates on their flight plans due to the continuing heavy rainfall in Chennai Tamilnadu. Earlier, <keyword id="19900374" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="IndiGo-airlines" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="IndiGo airlines" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="IndiGo airlines">IndiGo airlines</keyword> diverted all flights scheduled to come to Chennai. "Due to the impact of CycloneFengal in Chennai, flights operating to the city are being diverted. Our crew and airport teams are dedicated to providing all possible support &amp; assistance during this time. We sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding," the X post by IndiGo said. Meanwhile, security at the Puducherry coast has also increased as Puducherry Senior Superintendent of Police, Kalaivanan visited the beaches and the coastal roads in the region and inspected them for preparedness. The authorities have advised the public to not visit beaches in Puducherry as well as in Tamil Nadu's Chennai, including Marina Beach, Pattinapakkam and Edward Elliot Beach. The tourist spots in Puducherry have been closed as a precautionary measure, owing to the impending cyclone Fengal. <keyword id="24240138" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Puducherry-police" source="keywords">Puducherry Police</keyword> in a post on X advised citizens, "In view of Cyclone Fengal, we urge you to exercise extreme caution and avoid visiting beaches and coastal areas" The SSP said that 300 police personnel have been deployed on various coastal roads and beaches. "For the last four days, we have been deploying police personnel along the beaches and apart from that we are also informing the fishermen and people living in the low-lying areas to be careful. Fishermen are not venturing into the sea. Since last night, we have closed all beaches. We have deployed nearly 300 personnel across all the beaches of Puducherry and we are coordinating with the NDRF also," the SSP said. The coastal areas of Puducherry witnessed rough sea and gusty winds on Saturday morning due to the impact of the cyclone. Puducherry received moderate rain, as per IMD, in the morning today but the rough sea was seen more than usual.

Cyclone Fengal: Chennai airport shut till 7 PM

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Trump has nominated Robert F. Kennedy Jr to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.</li><li>The president-elect previously vowed to let Kennedy "go wild on health."</li></ul>Trump has nominated former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, likely sparking a confirmation battle in the Senate."I am thrilled to announce Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as The United States Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS)," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "For too long, Americans have been crushed by the industrial food complex and drug companies who have engaged in deception, misinformation, and disinformation when it comes to Public Health.The president-elect previously vowed to let Kennedy "go wild on health."Kennedy, 70, is a vaccine skeptic who supports removing fluoride from water supplies and promoting products like raw milk, which the Food and Drug Administration has cautioned against. He has said that he wants to fire some nutritionists at the health agency and overhaul federal food regulations, setting off alarm bells among public health experts. Yet his eclectic views occasionally cut across party lines — his desire to cut ultra-processed food from school lunches, for example, was an Obama-era priority as well.Despite once running against Trump this cycle, Kennedy dropped out and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/rfk-jr-drops-out-presidential-race-2024-8">endorsed</a> the president-elect in August, which <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/rfk-wanted-white-house-job-exchange-for-endorsing-trump-report-2024-7">sources</a> said was an effort to secure a job in the administration. The two spearheaded a "Make America Healthy Again" campaign.The head of HHS requires Senate approval and Kennedy could have an upward battle ahead of him, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.semafor.com/article/11/12/2024/trump-eyes-a-battle-to-get-kennedy-through-the-senate">Semafor reported</a>.

Trump taps Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead Department of Health and Human Services

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Dogecoin spiked 15% on Wednesday after Donald Trump announced a DOGE department.</li><li>The department will task Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy with cutting government expenditures.</li></ul><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/currencies/doge-usd">Dogecoin</a> has gotten a big boost since Donald Trump won the presidential election last week amid a market-wide surge for cryptos of all types.The dog-themed crypto had surged roughly 140% since November 6, the day after the election, through Tuesday. It added an additional 15% on Wednesday as of 11:15 a.m. in New York.The latest move higher came on the heels of Donald Trump <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1856658569124262092">officially announcing</a> plans for a Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. He said Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, will head the initiative, helping Trump's administration cut government expenditures. The acronym is viewed as direct nod to the token.Musk's appointment to DOGE is seen as at least partially responsible for the meme token's climb on Wednesday, given the billionaire's enthusiasm for the token. In 2021, the billionaire branded himself as the "<a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1387290679794089986?lang=en">Dogefather</a>," and has a reputation for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-dogecoin-2013-12?utm_medium=ingest&amp;utm_source=markets&amp;_gl=1*l60gzy*_ga*MTMxNDIwNDI1Ni4xNjc1Njg3OTU4*_ga_E21CV80ZCZ*MTczMTUxMTYyOC44MjcuMS4xNzMxNTExNzc1LjU2LjAuMA..">sparking dogecoin rallies</a> simply by commenting on it.As of Wednesday morning, dogecoin's market value hit $63 billion, making it worth more than long-standing Wall Street staples <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/dogecoin-price-market-value-ford-crypto-boom-trump-elon-musk-2024-11">such as Ford</a>, MetLife, and Norfolk Southern.Dogecoin is riding post-election momentum that has the entire crypto economy soaring. Trump — who has labeled himself as Washginton's first "crypto president" — is expected to introduce <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/currencies/bitcoin-price-crypto-industry-donald-trump-election-reserve-regulation-sec-2024-11?_gl=1*1f4wh5x*_ga*MTMxNDIwNDI1Ni4xNjc1Njg3OTU4*_ga_E21CV80ZCZ*MTczMTUxMTYyOC44MjcuMS4xNzMxNTEyMDE1LjYwLjAuMA..">regulatory and legislative reforms</a> that could <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/currencies/donald-trump-victory-big-win-for-crypto-bitcoin-ceo-2024-11">bring a golden era</a> to the crypto economy.<a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/currencies/btc-usd?utm_medium=ingest&amp;utm_source=markets&amp;utm_medium=ingest&amp;utm_source=markets">Bitcoin</a> has also gained sharply from this, soaring to a fresh record of nearly $92,000 as of 10:30 a.m. ET on Wednesday.Altogether, the broader crypto market now holds a total valuation of over $3 trillion, marking a gain of more than $700 trillion since the election.

Dogecoin spikes another 15% after Musk appointed to lead DOGE department for Trump

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Donald Trump has officially ushered Elon Musk into his future administration.</li><li>The president-elect said Tuesday that Musk would help lead the Department of Government Efficiency.</li></ul>President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday said that Tesla CEO <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-won-election-what-that-means-for-elon-musk-2024-11">Elon Musk</a> and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy will lead the Department of Government Efficiency, also known as DOGE, under his administration."Together, these two wonderful Americans will pave the way for my Administration to dismantle the Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies Essential to the 'Save America' Movement," Trump said in a statement. Trump characterized the endeavor as "The Manhattan Project of our time."On the campaign trail, Musk, who poured millions of dollars into electing Trump, spoke frequently about his <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-rally-elon-musk-save-department-government-efficiency-2024-10">desire to curb federal government spending.</a>The federal government's spending in the 2024 fiscal year was $6.75 trillion.This story is breaking. Please check back for updates.

Donald Trump says Elon Musk will help run the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that Elon Musk would co-lead his new government efficiency drive.</li><li>The unofficial Department of Government Efficiency is already verified on X with a gray tick.</li></ul><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk">Elon Musk's</a> Department of Government Efficiency is already verified on X as an official government entity, and could be in violation of the platform's rules on verification.President-elect <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-elon-musk-vivek-ramaswamy-department-government-efficiency-doge-2024-11">Donald Trump announced on Tuesday</a> that Tesla CEO Musk and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy will lead the Department of Government Efficiency, nicknamed DOGE.Trump said the new agency would work to cut regulation and slash spending.The former and future president said Musk and Ramaswamy will "provide advice and guidance from outside of Government."After less than two days, the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/DOGE">DOGE account on X</a> has the platform's gray verified checkmark, which is used to identify government or multilateral organization accounts.According to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://help.x.com/en/rules-and-policies/profile-labels">X's rules on checkmarks</a>, organizations eligible for the gray checkmark are generally reserved for executive office accounts, government agency accounts, and embassy and state-level accounts, as well as accounts held by government officials and heads of state.As DOGE is not an official government department, having the gray checkmark may violate X's rules.Musk used X as a megaphone for his outspoken support of Donald Trump during the election campaign, frequently posting messages of support for the former president and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-going-all-in-recruit-billionaire-peers-trump-vance-2024-7">using the site to try and win over other Silicon Valley billionaires</a>.After the president-elect confirmed Musk's new role, the Tesla CEO said he planned to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-leaderboard-government-spending-marketing-genius-doge-donald-trump-2024-11">post a public leaderboard of "the most insanely dumb spending of your tax dollars"</a> and let users weigh in on specific potential cuts.Musk has also hailed Trump's election victory as vindication of his $44 billion purchase of X, then called Twitter, in 2022, repeatedly telling users, <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1856637767758815323">"You are the media now"</a> in the aftermath of the result.X did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider sent outside normal working hours.

Elon Musk's DOGE isn't an official department. It has a government checkmark on X.

Donald <keyword id="19906203" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Trump" source="keywords">Trump</keyword> and <keyword id="19903807" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Elon-Musk" source="keywords">Elon Musk</keyword> have apparently become great friends over recent months. Musk poured millions of dollars into Trump's successful election campaign and has been a vocal and visible supporter of the president-elect. In return, he's been given a new job, in joint charge of the new <keyword id="23593857" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Department-of-Government-Efficiency" source="keywords">Department of Government Efficiency</keyword> (Doge), where he will be tasked with streamlining government operations and reducing bureaucracy. This "department"—actually an advisory group—will aim to cut unnecessary spending and make the general functioning of the US government more efficient. The idea is that within a federal budget of over US$6 trillion, there are opportunities to make some big savings. Musk's appointment—like many things he's involved with—has sparked controversy. The richest man in the world has already said he wants to cut spending by US$2 trillion (£1.6 trillion) and mentioned setting up a "leaderboard for most insanely dumb spending of your tax dollars.". Some are concerned about the impact he could have on public services. Others fear he will use his position to promote his own business interests. On the positive side, Musk has a very impressive CV when it comes to big organisations. He has created (or co-created) multi-billion-dollar businesses, including Paypal, <keyword id="19895433" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tesla" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Tesla" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Tesla">Tesla</keyword>, and <keyword id="19905255" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="SpaceX" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="SpaceX" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="SpaceX">SpaceX</keyword>. He has founded startups involved in AI (xAI), tunnelling (the Boring Company), and medicine (<keyword id="19985233" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Neuralink" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Neuralink" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Neuralink">Neuralink</keyword>). And research suggests that much of Musk's success comes down to a relentless focus on efficiency. He has also been praised for the depth of his analytical thinking and innovative problem solving. Tesla's factory in California went from being the least productive car manufacturing plant in the US when it was owned by General Motors to the most productive under Musk's ownership. SpaceX has vastly reduced costs in the space cargo business. So he has form. And Musk is not the first American business leader to offer private sector expertise to the world of politics. Back in the 1960s, Robert McNamara, former president of the Ford Motor Company, served as secretary of defence under presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. McNamara brought significant innovations to <keyword id="22668770" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="government-efficiency" source="keywords">government efficiency</keyword> that drew on his corporate experience. He championed cost-benefit analysis and a data-driven approach to decision-making and was keen on reducing bureaucracy and promoting accountability in complex governmental processes. To achieve this, McNamara recruited a team of experts from the worlds of academia and business. Known as the "Whizz Kids," they brought new perspectives to the White House. In the UK now, the Labour government's minister of state for investment is Poppy Gustafsson, a former venture capitalist and tech founder. Its minister for prisons is James Timpson, former CEO of the Timpson Group, a family firm renowned for hiring ex-offenders. These people—and there are many other examples around the world—were brought into the political sphere because of the knowledge and vision they have demonstrated in the private sector. The hope is their talent and leadership will improve policy and practice. <h2>Data-driven reform</h2>The same must be hoped for Musk: that with his co-leader, Vivek Ramaswamy—a biotech entrepreneur and former Republican leadership candidate—he will bring expertise in cost-cutting and innovative strategies. This will probably include comprehensive audits and data-driven approaches to reform. Critics refer to prior examples of Musk's approach, such as the mass layoffs and aggressive cost-cutting measures at Twitter (now X), with concerns that there could be similarly drastic reductions in the federal workforce and public services. But big job cuts were happening across the tech sector at that time. They came in the wake of reduced revenues and a need to reduce bloated workforces and ineffective functions—not unlike the challenges faced by the US government. Nevertheless, while proponents see Musk as an experienced leader capable of streamlining bureaucracy, sceptics fear the advent of harmful austerity measures that risk disruption to essential public programs. Concerns have also been raised about potential conflicts of interest, as Musk's business empire benefits from government contracts. However, since Doge will operate as an advisory body, concerns over him gaining advantage through any self-dealing seem overblown. Besides, two of Musk's companies (SpaceX and Tesla) have been awarded US$15.4 billion (£12.3bn) in federal contracts in the last decade. Perhaps then, success precedes influence rather than the reverse? Doge will also be governed by the Federal Advisory Committee Act, which maintains legal and ethical guardrails. And Congress will have the final say over any decisions. Fears of the worst possible outcome to Musk's appointment are a natural human response in the face of uncertainty. It is part of the reason that negative headlines get more clicks than positive ones. It is also true that Musk has aligned himself with a politician who divides opinion like few others. By leveraging his billions of dollars and 200 million followers on X to help Trump to victory, he made it clear which side he was on. And in a highly polarised US political landscape, the anguish about his governmental role may be little more than a knee-jerk reaction from the millions of people whose side he did not choose.

Love him or loathe him, Elon Musk is a champion of efficiency and could save the US government a fortune

In an unusual development, a teenager in British Columbia has become the first person in <keyword id="19896882" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="canada" source="keywords">Canada</keyword> to test positive for <keyword id="95867" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bird-flu" source="Orion">bird flu</keyword>, the provincial health department announced. The youth is currently receiving treatment in a children's hospital for the <keyword id="23932297" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="H5-avian-influenza" source="keywords">H5 avian influenza</keyword> strain, with the source of infection and potential contacts under active investigation. According to British Columbia Health Officer Dr Bonnie Henry, the infection likely came from an animal source. "This is a rare event," she noted. "We are conducting a thorough investigation to fully understand the source of exposure here in BC." <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="109603354" title="Bird flu could jump to humans any day. A former surgeon general says it feels like 2020 again." mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>Bird flu, most commonly found in wild birds and poultry, can sometimes infect humans through close contact or contaminated environments. Scientists have voiced growing concerns as avian flu has recently been detected in mammals, and a recent outbreak in US cattle has added to fears. Although human infections remain rare, experts worry that an increased rate of transmission could eventually lead to a virus mutation that allows human-to-human spread. The Canadian case comes shortly after another unusual incident in the United States, where a person in Missouri tested positive for bird flu without any known exposure to infected animals. While cases among farmworkers are known, these isolated incidents without clear animal sources add to the need for vigilance. Despite the isolated cases, there has been no evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission of bird flu to date, which would otherwise signify a more serious public health risk. For now, health authorities in Canada are closely monitoring the situation to prevent further spread. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="114819490" title="Bird flu was detected in a pig, and it could be a tipping point threatening more human transmission" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>

Bird flu alert in Canada as teen tests positive; officials launch investigation

At a campaign rally for former President Donald Trump in New York on Sunday, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk" target="_blank">Elon Musk</a> said he'd save the United States $2 trillion through a <keyword id="23593857" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Department-of-Government-Efficiency" source="keywords">department of government efficiency</keyword>. Howard Lutnick, the CEO of the financial-services company <keyword id="20371653" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Cantor-Fitzgerald" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Cantor Fitzgerald" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Cantor Fitzgerald">Cantor Fitzgerald</keyword>, introduced Musk at the event. As he took the stage, Lutnick asked the Tesla and SpaceX CEO, "How much do you think we can rip out of this wasted $6.5 trillion <keyword id="23762349" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Harris-Biden-budget" source="keywords">Harris-Biden budget</keyword>?" "I think we can do at least $2 trillion," Musk replied. "I mean, at the end of the day, you're being taxed. You're being taxed. All government spending is taxation. So whether it's direct taxation or all government spending, it either becomes inflation or it's direct taxation." Musk added: "Your money is being wasted, and the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-adopts-elon-musk-plan-cut-government-spending-efficiency-reform-2024-9" target="_blank">Department of Government Efficiency</a> is going to fix that. We're going to get the government off your back and out of your pocketbook." Trump has previously said he'd put Musk in charge of a department of government efficiency — or "DOGE," after the cryptocurrency — if he wins the election. Musk did not elaborate on policy changes or spending cuts he would implement if he were to join a second Trump administration. Musk and representatives for the Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The federal government's spending in the 2024 fiscal year was $6.75 trillion. Musk's suggested cuts would represent nearly a third of that sum. It's unclear where Musk's suggested cuts would come from. Both Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris have proposed various tax changes as part of their campaigns. Those proposed by Trump include ending taxes on tips and overtime, reducing the corporate tax rate, hiking tariffs on imports, and ending taxes on Social Security benefits. Harris has proposed tax credits for new parents and homeowners as well as an expansion to the Small Business Tax Deduction. When it comes to Social Security, the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget has said that neither Trump nor Harris has proposed a plan that would fix Social Security's finances but that Trump's proposals would "dramatically worsen Social Security's finances." Trump's campaign <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-presidency-would-make-things-worse-for-social-security-nonprofit-2024-10" target="_blank">has disputed</a> the findings of the CRFB's report. The Wall Street Journal organized a <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/elections/economists-say-inflation-deficits-will-be-higher-under-trump-than-harris-0365588e" target="_blank">survey</a> of 50 economists from October 4 to October 8 and found that 65% said the deficit would get worse with the policies Trump has proposed. <h2 style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Musk's growing support for Trump</h2>Musk, the world's richest person, has become one of Trump's staunchest and most vocal backers in this election cycle. Musk <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-donald-trump-feud-relationship-timeline-2022-7" target="_blank">endorsed Trump in July</a> after the former president survived an assassination attempt during a rally in Pennsylvania. The two have discussed Musk holding a seat in Trump's Cabinet if the former president were to be reelected. During a livestream on X in August, Musk said he would be "happy to help out" with a government-efficiency commission. In a September speech, Trump again mentioned the commission, saying he'd want Musk to oversee the project. Musk's financial power is translating into real moves on the campaign trail. As of Friday, Musk has spent just under $119 million on his pro-Trump political action committee, America PAC. He has been hitting the road in the key swing state of Pennsylvania and holding his own rallies in support of Trump. Musk has also said he's launching a daily $1 million giveaway to a swing-state voter who signs his petition affirming support for free speech and the right to bear arms. Some election-law experts previously told BI the giveaway plan might be illegal. With the election just over a week away, the race between Harris and Trump remains on a razor's edge. A national poll by <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/25/us/politics/poll-harris-trump-times-siena.html" target="_blank">The New York Times and Siena College</a> released Friday found Trump and Harris to be neck and neck at 48% for the popular vote. October 28, 2024, 3:08 a.m. ET: This story has been updated with context on Musk's comments about the prospect of taking on a government role, details about Musk's political spending in the 2024 election cycle, and details on Trump's and Harris' respective economic proposals.

Elon Musk took the stage at a Trump rally to talk about taxes and the 'Department of Government Efficiency'

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="23774633" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Jane-Lauder" source="keywords">Jane Lauder</keyword>, beauty magnate <keyword id="21856043" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Este-Lauder" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Estée Lauder" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Estée Lauder">Estée Lauder</keyword>'s granddaughter, is leaving the family-run company.</li><li>Her departure comes after Estée Lauder announced its CEO, <keyword id="23726861" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Fabrizio-Freda" source="keywords">Fabrizio Freda</keyword>, is stepping down.</li></ul>Jane Lauder, whose grandmother founded Estée Lauder and who was seen as a contender to become its next CEO, is set to depart the company. Lauder joined the family-run company in 1996 and was named its first executive vice president of enterprise marketing and chief data officer in 2020, according to a press release. Before that, she worked in senior leadership positions for brands including Clinique, Origins, and Darphin, which are all owned by Estée Lauder. The fashion trade outlet WWD first reported the news. Estée Lauder confirmed the story but said it would not be issuing a statement. Her departure comes amid a <keyword id="21737281" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="leadership-shake-up" source="keywords">leadership shake-up</keyword> for Estée Lauder Companies Inc., which announced in August that longtime CEO <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-deciem-and-the-ordinary-fit-into-estee-lauders-growth-2021-2">Fabrizio Freda</a> would retire at the end of the 2025 financial year. <div type="image" title="Fabrizio Freda attends the Balmain Womenswear Spring-Summer 2025 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on September 25, 2024." height="960" width="1280" msid="114697538" hostid="261"></div>The announcement of Freda's departure came as Estée Lauder reported a 2% decrease in organic sales for the year to June, citing "ongoing softness in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/whats-behind-china-luxury-goods-slowdown-economy-changing-consumer-tastes-2024-10">China</a>" as a key reason. In the earnings release, Freda also called the sales and profit outlook for the current financial year "disappointing." At the time of his retirement announcement, Estée Lauder said it was "well advanced in its long-established <keyword id="23217871" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="CEO-succession" source="keywords">CEO succession</keyword> planning process" and that the board was considering both internal and external candidates. In an internal memo, Lauder said she plans to remain a board member and shareholder, WWD reported. "The company is embarking on a necessary and fundamental turnaround," Lauder said, per WWD. "I have thought about how I can be most effective in helping the company reclaim its rightful position as the world's leader in prestige beauty and restore long term shareholder value." Lauder also said in the memo that she will remain an advisor to the CEO in the coming months. <div type="image" title="Aerin Lauder, William Lauder, and Jane Lauder at the Breast Cancer Research Foundation Hot Pink Party at The Glasshouse in New York City in May 2024." height="853" width="1280" msid="114697536" hostid="261"></div>Lauder isn't the only family member to have had leadership stints at her grandmother's company. Her cousin, William Lauder, stepped down as CEO in 2009 to serve as Estée Lauder's executive chairman. Her sister, Aerin Lauder Zinterhofer, also spent decades working at the company before launching her eponymous luxury lifestyle brand Aerin, which is part of Estée Lauder's portfolio. After nearly three decades, Lauder will soon no longer be involved in day-to-day operations at Estée Lauder, but her family still owns a 38% share of the company and controls most of the voting rights. Correction: October 28, 2024 — An earlier version of this story mischaracterized Estée Lauder's response to a request for comment from Business Insider. It has been updated.

Jane Lauder is departing Estée Lauder, taking her out of the race to lead the company her grandmother founded 

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The <keyword id="19921999" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Education-Department" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Education Department" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Education Department">Education Department</keyword> said student-loan company MOHELA failed to process <keyword id="23618290" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="borrower-applications" source="keywords">borrower applications</keyword> for <keyword id="23618289" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="income-driven-repayment" source="keywords">income-driven repayment</keyword> plans.</li><li>The department is not assigning new accounts to MOHELA until it corrects its actions.</li></ul>The Education Department notified <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fire-student-loan-company-mohela-remove-borrowers-from-roster-biden-2024-5">student-loan company MOHELA</a> on Tuesday that it would be facing penalties for failing to perform the servicing obligations required in its contract. According to a document from the Education Department reviewed by Business Insider, MOHELA has failed to process over 460,000 applications for borrowers on income-driven repayment plans, preventing those borrowers from accessing more affordable <keyword id="23618291" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="monthly-payments" source="keywords">monthly payments</keyword>. The department also said Mohela had failed to stop capitalizing interest on borrowers' accounts, incorrectly marked some borrowers for negative credit reporting, and failed to process forgiveness in a timely manner for borrowers who met the threshold. "The Department continues to take swift action in response to errors that cause confusion or unnecessary difficulty for borrowers," Education Secretary Miguel Cardona told BI in a statement. "<keyword id="23618292" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="federal-student-aid" source="keywords">Federal Student Aid</keyword> has determined, through its oversight of federal <keyword id="21652556" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="student-loan" source="keywords">student loan</keyword> servicers, that MOHELA has not consistently met the Department's standards for serving borrowers. MOHELA's continued challenges have resulted in less-than-satisfactory quality of servicing for borrowers." The Education Department requested that MOHELA provide a "corrective action plan" within 10 business days, Cardona said, along with weekly meetings with Federal Student Aid to review the servicer's performance . In the meantime, the department will not assign new borrower accounts to MOHELA until it can demonstrate that it can properly serve borrowers, which could impact the servicer's revenue. A Mohela spokesperson told BI that the servicer "is surprised by FSA's sudden change in direction and communication" after the Education Department recently gave it new borrower accounts. "As one of FSA's critical partners and contractors, MOHELA has and will continue to work closely with FSA," the spokesperson said. Since <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/student-loan-repayment-issues-debt-relief-broken-industry-2023-9">student-loan payments resumed last October</a> after an over three-year pause, MOHELA has been under scrutiny from the Education Department, lawmakers, and advocates over its handling of borrowers' accounts. It was the first servicer to receive a punishment from the department last year — on October 30, 2023, the department <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/student-loan-company-mohela-late-statements-borrowers-biden-withholding-pay-2023-10">withheld $7.2 million in pay from MOHELA</a> over its failure to deliver on-time billing statements to 2.5 million borrowers. This is the second time Mohela has faced changes to the accounts it manages.In April, the Education Department transferred over 1 million borrowers to new servicers to allow for borrowers to have "the best service." This is the second penalty MOHELA has faced this year.In January, the department <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/student-loan-borrowers-missing-billing-statements-servicers-punishment-nelnet-mohela-2024-1">withheld pay from the remaining three major federal servicers</a> over failure to deliver on-time billing statements to borrowers. Still, MOHELA has remained in the spotlight as borrowers have continued to report challenges with the servicer, prompting Sen. Elizabeth Warren to hold a hearing in April over the servicer's performance and later calling for the Education Department to consider terminating the servicer's contract altogether. 'We've organized, we've held hearings, we've done everything possible to hold these student loan servicers accountable for their misconduct," Warren <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/student-loan-borrowers-fire-their-servicer-elizabeth-warren-mohela-navient-2024-9">previously told BI</a>. "And it's beginning to bite. Last year, the department released <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/student-loan-borrowers-bad-customer-service-education-department-oversight-repayment-2023-11">an accountability framework</a> that outlined enforcement actions it would take over servicers who failed to meet their obligations. It's unclear what action the department will take next over MOHELA if it does not correct its actions. Correction: October 18, 2024 — An earlier version of this story misstated one of the Education Department's accusations against Mohela. The department said the company had failed to process forgiveness in a timely manner for borrowers who met the threshold. The story was also updated to clarify who the Mohela spokesperson said was "surprised by FSA's sudden change in direction and communication." It was Mohela, not the Education Department.

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