Chart shows the total failure of Elon Musk’s DOGE initiative

Earlier this year, Elon Musk joined the Trump administration as the leader of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Known as Elon Musk DOGE, the plan was to save the American public trillions by cutting unnecessary spending. While it was obviously an absolute mess from start to finish, the depths of Musk’s failures are becoming more obvious over time:

WOW! You can really see where DOGE began its work! https://t.co/5QGSDDn3XB

— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) December 23, 2025

DOGE

As you can see above, the US’s national debt spiked this year — almost as if Musk achieved absolutely nothing.

So why did DOGE fail? Many questioned if Elon Musk DOGE could succeed given the circumstances.

Could it be because Musk spends all day every day tweeting, despite his claims to be a legendary grafter?

Or was it because the right-wing ethos of endlessly cutting services is long past having any ability to produce results?

Here’s what one of the young men Musk employed to do DOGE cuts said:

I personally was pretty surprised, actually, at how efficient the government was. This isn’t to say that it can’t be made more efficient — elimination of paper, elimination of faxing — but these aren’t necessarily fraud, waste and abuse.

DOGE fired the guy for making these comments. This was despite Musk’s promise to be “maximally transparent” about DOGE’s activities. Yet, the Elon Musk DOGE episode continues to spark discussions.

Reform

So DOGE was a failure, and everyone knows that.

Or do they?

Because Reform UK are still flogging this dead horse:

Watch Richard Tice LIVE on X at 11am as he outlines the next steps for DOGE. pic.twitter.com/ii2jJedQu9

— Reform UK (@reformparty_uk) November 17, 2025

This gives us an idea for a slogan they can use:

Reform UK: Delivering Yesterday’s Failures Tomorrow

We’ve covered Reform’s dodgy DOGEing before, with Joe Glenton reporting the following in December:

Bullshitters-in-chief Reform UK claim to have made £1.7 million in savings for Lancashire County Council. The problem is the savings are for the year before their Benny Hill Brigade councilors actually took over. Incredible work once again, lads.

Great idea not to mention that the entire saving was made in the year ending March 2025, two months before Reform took over. pic.twitter.com/UeVm20Y32c

— Parody Nigel Farage (@Parody_PM) December 8, 2025

We’ve also reported on the fact that far from saving money, many of these new Reform politicians are actually asking for higher reimbursements:

On 19 September, we covered the Reform mayor who wanted an ‘eye-watering’ budget bump to tackle ‘non-mayoral concerns’. The latest instance of reverse-cuts is the leader of Durham County Council arguing that councillors should be paid more.

Reform UK, costing you more money.

➡️ Reform UK Durham Leaders calling for more pay.
➡️ Reform UK Mayor Andrea Jenkyns calling for more pay.
➡️ Reform UK Staffordshire calling for more advisors.
➡️ Reform UK Scarborough Mayor 250% pay increase. pic.twitter.com/xtojhoqsUl

— Reform Party UK Exposed 🇬🇧 (@reformexposed) September 21, 2025

While we agreed that councillors should be paid more, it’s frankly astonishing that Reform think they’re in a position to make this argument given their electoral position of cutting services to the bone.

Reform councils have also *DRUM ROLL* raised taxes:

Reform UK’s Flagship Council Kent

⬆️ Increasing Council Tax

⬇️ Cutting services

From the party that won the council after a local election campaign that criticised councils for raising tax and cutting services, they really are Hypocrites UK.https://t.co/TcITZWQswb pic.twitter.com/4dY0v6IvfE

— Reform Party UK Exposed 🇬🇧 (@reformexposed) December 20, 2025

You’ll note Reform are pursuing the worst of all worlds here, with higher taxes and diminished services. It’s a uniquely ridiculous strategy, and one which is fully deserving of the ‘DOGE’ moniker. Interestingly, the saga of Elon Musk DOGE is often referenced in these discussions.

Featured image via Independent