Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, appointed by President-elect Donald Trump to lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), are meeting with lawmakers to rally support for a $500 billion annual federal spending cut initiative.

Hosted by House Speaker Mike Johnson, the pair discussed plans to reduce bureaucracy, cut waste, and restructure agencies in brainstorming sessions with congressional leaders and the newly formed DOGE caucuses in the House and Senate.

DOGE aims to streamline government operations by targeting entities like Planned Parenthood, international grant recipients, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, while also reducing federal employees.

The initiative has bipartisan interest, with Democrats like Rep. Jared Moskowitz and Sen. Elizabeth Warren open to collaboration.

However, questions remain about its authority and priorities, as most federal spending is mandatory or defense-related, CBS News has reported.

Musk and Ramaswamy’s involvement underscores their growing influence in Trump’s administration.

Written by B.C. Begley