Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy have selected to spearhead a groundbreaking initiative, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Fareed Zakaria, a renowned CNN host, has praised their potential to transform U.S. fiscal policy while substantially cutting government spending, Mail Online reported.

Donald Trump recently announced the creation of the DOGE, which aims to tackle the bloated federal budget, currently at an annual $6.5 trillion. Musk and Ramaswamy are expected to lead the agency and reduce government expenditures by a staggering $2 trillion during its initial phase of operations.

Zakaria, expressing his views on his CNN weekend show, described the duo as “brilliant” and necessary for an overly expansive federal government.

His enthusiasm contrasts with other CNN pundits who remain skeptical of Trump's initiatives, highlighting a divide in opinion over the potential impact of DOGE.

The Impact of DOGE on Long-Standing Government Programs

Zakaria linked the establishment of DOGE to historic Republican efforts to dismantle large-scale government programs initiated during Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal era. He pointed out that while significant, past Republican promises to repeal these programs have never fully materialized.

He speculated that cuts might spare vital areas such as social security, Medicare, and Medicaid due to their significance, aligning with the Republican stance of preserving essential services.

To achieve the ambitious goal of $2 trillion in cuts, Zakaria highlighted the necessity for substantial reductions across various federal departments, including a significant decrease in Pentagon spending.

Zakaria's Perspective on Government Reform

"Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, who will be in charge of DOGE, are both brilliant and the Federal Government has clearly become too expansive and its writ too cumbersome," Zakaria said, underscoring the need for efficiency.

He further emphasized, "Of Donald Trump’s recent announcements, the one that intrigues even excites me the most is the establishment of DOGE."

Zakaria believes that the leadership of Musk and Ramaswamy will challenge both the country and the Republican Party to face a reality it has avoided for decades. He remarked, "But they never did," referring to the GOP's unfulfilled promises to cut back on New Deal programs.

Discussing the Feasibility of DOGE's Goals

Zakaria detailed the financial challenges involved in meeting DOGE's objectives, stating, "What is now left is about 15 percent of the federal budget, which includes certain veterans benefits, agricultural subsidies, spending on roads and highways, etc."

"To achieve the $2 trillion spending cuts that Musk has often talked about he would need to eliminate all of the spending and all of the Pentagon spending, and then he’d still have work to do," he explained, indicating the depth of cuts required.

"But I do support the impulse to reform and not just because I think it will force greater scrutiny and efficiency to government, which needs it," added Zakaria, supporting the reformative thrust behind DOGE.