Bernie Sanders Backs Elon Musk on Pentagon Waste, Supports Government Efficiency Efforts

Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont, has expressed support for the newly-formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), acknowledging Elon Musk’s critique of wasteful Pentagon spending.

Sanders, a frequent critic of the military-industrial complex, took to social media to highlight the Pentagon's budgetary mismanagement, stating, "Elon Musk is right."

President-elect Donald Trump recently appointed Elon Musk and former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy to lead DOGE, which aims to tackle inefficiencies and curb wasteful government spending. The initiative is part of Trump’s broader strategy to promote fiscal responsibility.

Sanders’ remarks came in a post on X (formerly Twitter) where he criticized the Pentagon's repeated audit failures. “The Pentagon, with a budget of $886 billion, just failed its 7th audit in a row. It’s lost track of billions,” he wrote.

“Last year, only 13 senators voted against the Military Industrial Complex and a defense budget full of waste and fraud. That must change.” Musk responded to Sanders’ post with two American flag emojis, signaling agreement.

Musk, who has become increasingly vocal about government inefficiency, shared several posts on social media criticizing wasteful federal projects. One example he highlighted was the California High-Speed Rail Project, which was initially estimated in 2008 to cost $33 billion but has since ballooned to a projected cost of $88.5 to $127.9 billion.

Despite receiving $6.8 billion in federal funding, the project remains incomplete, with most of the railway still not designed. The project team is now requesting an additional $8 billion in federal funds. Musk reposted DOGE’s critique of the project, writing, “The government needs to stop wasting your hard-earned money!”

Musk also pointed out alarming trends in national debt and its implications for future economic stability.

Speaking in front of an American flag in a video shared online, he said, “The interest that we owe on our national debt is now higher than the defense budget. Over a trillion dollars and growing. The country is going to go bankrupt. That’s why we need the Department of Government Efficiency, D.O.G.E., on a brass plaque on a desk.”

The national debt has surpassed $36 trillion, a figure Musk warned is accelerating the country’s path to financial ruin. He attributed inflation to unchecked government spending, saying in an earlier tweet,

“Excess government spending is what causes inflation! ALL government spending is taxation. This is a very important concept to appreciate. It is either direct taxation, like income tax, or indirect via inflation due to increasing the money supply.”

DOGE, according to Trump’s statement, will operate as an advisory body working with the White House and the Office of Management and Budget. Its goal is to implement structural reforms and adopt an entrepreneurial approach to governance.

In a Wall Street Journal op-ed, Musk and Ramaswamy emphasized that their roles are strictly voluntary, ensuring their work remains independent of federal employment restrictions.

The establishment of DOGE and the focus on fiscal responsibility have sparked significant public discussion.

While Musk and Trump are rallying for reform, Sanders’ endorsement signals bipartisan concern over government inefficiency and wasteful spending.