Washington lobbyists turn to Musk’s DOGE to influence Trump

The legions of lobbyists who have long worked the halls of Congress and federal agencies to secure their political priorities have a new target: a shadowy federal department run by the world’s richest man, Elon Musk.

The Musk-driven initiative, called the Department of Government Efficiency, is supposed to advise the president-elect Donald Trump on spending cuts and regulatory reform. It does not yet – and may never – have any formalized responsibilities or authorities. So far, its recruits have organized themselves in secret meetings blocks from the White House.