PANews reported on February 8 that Musk's confrontation with Washington became the cover of the latest issue of Time magazine. Elon Musk is leading a large-scale streamlining of the US government. The "Department of Government Efficiency" (DOGE) led by him has taken over the US Digital Service and entered the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), laying off employees, cutting budgets, and reorganizing federal agencies. In early February, DOGE tried to force its way into the headquarters of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). After being rejected, Musk called it a "criminal organization" on X, and the agency was almost completely shut down.

The Trump administration authorized Musk to promote the "Project 2025" reform, with the goal of reducing the size of the government and eliminating opposition forces. Many civil servants were forced to resign for refusing to cooperate, and some senior officials of some agencies were replaced. The Democratic Party and labor unions have initiated legal proceedings, and some courts have ruled to suspend relevant actions. However, Musk still controls key agencies, and the outside world is worried that government power is overly influenced by private entrepreneurs.