Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, has been the public face of the Trump administration’s effort to dismantle many government agencies and slash the size of the federal workforce.
On Wednesday, he attended Trump’s first Cabinet meeting, although he is not a Cabinet member.
Meanwhile, Russell Vought, the Project 2025 mastermind and director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, has been working behind the scenes to enact far-right policies aimed at privatizing public resources like Medicaid and Social Security.
We speak with Jacobin staff writer Branko Marcetic to discuss the radical DOGE agenda.
“As they make these ruthless, ruthless cuts to the programs that people rely on, … they also want to keep in place massive tax cuts for the rich,” he says. Democracy Now! is an independent global news hour that airs on over 1,500 TV and radio stations Monday through Friday.
Watch our livestream at democracynow.org Mondays to Fridays 8-9 a.m. ET.
In summary, Marcetic argues that President Trump’s governance, heavily influenced by billionaires and anti-government ideologues, represents a profound departure from his campaign promises, resulting in policies that favor the affluent and neglect the needs of his original supporters.
For a more in-depth understanding, you can watch the full interview here:
The administration’s strategy involves deepening U.S.
military involvement and economic dependence to push for neoliberal reforms in other nations, often at the expense of local populations.
Marcetic criticized this approach, noting that it prioritizes the interests of the wealthy over those of ordinary