Nearly 60% of those surveyed said they oppose the billionaire’s role in the US presidential administration
The majority of Americans disapprove of Elon Musk’s performance in his role within the US government, according to a new poll conducted by ABC News, the Washington Post, and Ipsos. Musk recently announced plans to scale back his involvement as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Of the respondents, 57% said they disapprove of Musk’s job performance in the administration led by Donald Trump, while 35% said they approve of what has been done so far, ABC News reported on Monday. The outlet noted that opposition to the administration’s efforts to shrink the federal government – spearheaded by DOGE – is a key driver of the negative ratings.
In recent months, the White House, through DOGE, has implemented widespread federal spending cuts. Under the department, which was established by Trump shortly after taking office in January, roughly 280,000 federal employees have reportedly been laid off in an effort to balance the US federal budget.
Earlier this month, thousands of Americans took to the streets across the country to protest what they described as an “illegal power grab” and “coup” by Trump and Musk, claiming that the economic and social policies enacted by the president and his ally have plunged the country into a full-blown crisis.
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Last week, Musk stated he would scale back his involvement as head of DOGE and refocus on his business interests, saying that the “major work” to establish the department had been completed. The world’s richest man clarified, however, that he has no plans to step away from government work entirely, and that he would still devote “a day or two per week to government matters.”
Musk’s role as a special government employee is expected to conclude by late May. After that, he is expected to return his focus to his private ventures, which include Tesla, the rocket company SpaceX, and the social media platform X, among others.
