'Absolute chaos': DOGE sows turmoil in its quest for 'efficiency'

Federal workers say Elon Musk's slash-and-burn approach to the federal government is it less efficient and driving away some of the most talented people.

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump promised to make the federal government more efficient — to do more with less. He even deputized billionaire Elon Musk to be the face of a new Department of Government Efficiency.

But critics say Musk's chainsaw approach to slashing government programs, contracts and workers is having the opposite effect, sowing such confusion that it has hamstrung the bureaucracy's ability to serve the public and even carry out key parts of Trump's own agenda.

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"It's leading to paralysis, and nothing is getting done," said one Veterans Affairs official who spoke on the condition of anonymity out of fear of reprisal. The official described "absolute chaos" at the agency, with even Trump political appointees afraid to misstep and incur a backlash from either the White House or the public.

"The best employees are starting to look elsewhere," the official added. "I can't overemphasize that enough."

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/doge/absolute-chaos-doge-turmoil-efficiency-rcna193579

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