Recent polling data suggests that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, has garnered more public support than anticipated, leaving CNN analysts, including Harry Enten, visibly astounded.
According to a CBS/YouGov poll, 54% of Americans believe Musk’s DOGE should exert some influence over government spending and operations, despite ongoing protests and criticism from Democrats regarding the department’s approach to federal budget cuts.
When presenting the data on CNN, Harry Enten expressed his surprise, saying, “This, to me, was one of the more shocking figures that I saw. It made me go, ‘wait a minute, hold on one second! Whoa!'”
The same poll indicated that most Americans approve of President Donald Trump’s efforts to decrease staffing in government agencies, a move backed by Musk’s recent statement to cabinet members that he anticipates DOGE will achieve its goal of $1 trillion in spending cuts.
When asked by CNN anchor Kate Bolduan about the public perception of DOGE’s cuts, Enten pointed to additional polling data, interpreting that the majority of Americans understand these cuts as targeting wasteful spending, rather than essential services.
A survey by The Washington Post/IPSOS of registered voters revealed that 42% perceive DOGE as reducing “wasteful spending,” while only 36% believe the department is cutting “necessary programs.”
“Democrats want to argue that the type of spending that Musk is cutting is mainly necessary programs, but that comes in at just 36%. The wasteful spending actually wins the plurality here, at 42%,” Enten remarked on CNN.
However, PolitiFact reports that not all surveys show a clear majority supporting DOGE. While a Harvard-Harris poll found 72% support for a government agency focusing on efficiency, this question did not specifically reference DOGE. Other polls have produced mixed or negative responses towards Musk’s role in the Trump administration, fueled by concerns about DOGE’s access to sensitive government data.
The CBS News/YouGov poll also demonstrated a divide among Americans on the effects of workforce reductions, with Republicans viewing it as a way to increase efficiency and Democrats interpreting it as an attempt to remove crucial staff and consolidate Trump’s power.
In relation to reductions in the federal workforce specifically, the poll found that 52% of respondents believe Musk and DOGE have too much influence, 15% think they have too little, and 33% believe their influence is just right. The Trump administration has defended these workforce reductions, asserting that the president is only interested in the most qualified individuals willing to implement his America First agenda.
According to The Washington Post, DOGE, under Musk’s leadership, has justified its efforts to streamline federal agencies by targeting fraud, waste, and abuse in government spending – a rhetoric echoed by President Trump, who alleges significant “fraud” in programs like Social Security.
However, independent watchdogs and analysts cited by the Washington Post argue that Musk and Trump are making sweeping claims of fraud to garner political support for broad spending cuts. They argue that while fraudulent government spending exists, much of what Musk and his allies label as “fraud” is more a disagreement over the purpose or value of certain programs.
These positive polling results for Musk and DOGE contrast with Trump’s overall low approval ratings on economic matters, which are historically low compared to other presidents at a similar point in their term. This suggests that regardless of general economic sentiment, many Americans react positively to specific initiatives aimed at curbing perceived government waste.
The shift in public opinion about the role of government is significant. As reported by PennLive, 55% of Americans now believe the government is doing too much, a notable increase from the 54% who believed it was doing too little in 2020. This evolving sentiment may be a contributing factor to the majority of voters’ support for initiatives to reduce government spending.
Despite the seeming public support for DOGE’s objective, the specifics of which programs will be affected by the trillion-dollar spending cut goal remain largely unknown to the public. Polls show Americans are divided on whether these cuts will ultimately benefit or harm government services.