Progressive left signals some ‘DOGE’ curiosity

The Republican-led “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) has intrigued the progressive left, offering potential and unexpected common ground.

The brainchild of Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy has piqued the interest of Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and John Fetterman (D-Pa.), along with Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), three Democratic populists on Capitol Hill who favor an economics-first approach to politics. 

The early curiosity provides a window into the overlap between parts of the left and right, whose views on excessive government spending, especially around the country’s military apparatus, have created unlikely alliances that could crystallize in the new Trump era. 

“It’s a mix of realism, opportunity and a chance to get in the spotlight,” said one political observer linked to antiestablishment figures in Trump’s orbit. 

“It’s smart politics,” the source said. “And Musk is actually a lot more reasonable and open to other people’s POV.”

As President-elect Trump prepares for his January inauguration, the two wealthy tech outsiders who have become key allies are promising to purge bloating in government agencies. Lawmakers have had mixed reactions to both the concept and practicality of the effort. Since it will exist outside of Congress, there’s little officials can do to stop it, but there are questions about its functioning. The two tech entrepreneurs say they want to cut an ambitious $2 trillion in spending.

Despite early criticism, the interest in the initiative shows a potential for unconventional bipartisanship, opening the door to something that transcends normal ideological divides. One prominent left-wing media figure told The Hill “there has been some backchanneling to see if a meeting makes sense” with Musk and Ramaswamy, an example of its possible reach.

On Capitol Hill, the potential for synergy is even more striking. 

“Elon Musk is right,” Sanders wrote on the social platform X, which Musk owns, about his preferred defense slashes. The Vermont independent is one of the most vocal lawmakers against a massive military budget, a position that’s become more mainstream as Americans tack anti-war.

“The Pentagon, with a budget of $886 billion, just failed its 7th audit in a row. It’s lost track of billions,” Sanders wrote.

Progressives have found commonality with anti-interventionist Republicans regarding the Department of Defense, and Trump occupies a unique position in the space. He campaigned as a former commander in chief who didn’t preside over any wars and won over supporters who wanted change from President Biden’s foreign policy doctrine.

While Sanders is the top liberal to share that critique with the right, others in his flank have said they want to hear more from Musk, who also owns SpaceX and Tesla, and Ramaswamy, who challenged Trump for the Republican nomination. 

Sanders’s former campaign co-chair, Khanna, who represents Silicon Valley, spoke positively about the billionaire tech entrepreneur’s work with former President Obama and then-Defense Secretary Ash Carter. 

“I think when it comes to defense, getting better defense for value and cutting costs, there can be huge bipartisan cooperation,” Khanna told ABC News. At the same time, he warned about cutting programs that are considered reliable government cornerstones. “They should not touch a penny of Social Security. They should not touch the [Consumer Financial Protection Bureau]. They should not touch Medicare in terms of this funding.”

Hailing from Silicon Valley, Khanna’s position distinguishes him from others on the left. He views technology as central to the longevity of the Democratic Party, and instead of shunning the sector’s entrepreneurs and their emerging technologies, he believes both can be integrated into government to boost economic growth.

“No one can ever accuse Bernie Sanders of being an opportunist, or Ro Khanna, for that matter,” said Hassan Martini, a progressive strategist. “They have a long history of calling it like they see it. They have earned the respect of their colleagues and supporters, so when they speak people take notice.” 

For now, Republicans familiar with Trump’s governing style are cautiously optimistic about progressives’ buy-in. Some see new potential for more collaboration outside of Congress, where GOP and Democratic leaders have had trouble breaking through in a hyperpartisan environment. 

“It seems genuine,” said one Republican source who previously worked for Trump’s campaign. “Particularly on defense spending,” the source added, “which Democrats have traditionally been skeptical of for different reasons than the right.” 

Another rising populist star in the Democratic caucus, Fetterman, has joined the intrigue caucus.

“I admire Mr. Musk,” he told reporters last week. “Yes, he is on a different team, but that doesn’t make me an enemy.” 

Fetterman’s populist inclinations won him a Senate seat, and he’s been among the first Democrats to say he’d consider some of Trump’s Cabinet picks.

Pete D’Alessandro, who was an adviser to Sanders’s 2016 campaign, agreed that there’s a greater problem with knee-jerk opposition to both sides’ agendas, regardless of what they’re proposing, that has angered voters. “One of the things they are frustrated with is the idea that Republicans will oppose Dems just to oppose them,” said D’Alessandro. “And Dems do the same thing.”

Martini agrees. “I’ve always been adamant if there’s a good idea we should embrace it, I’m not saying DOGE is a good idea, but I am in favor of eliminating waste on our federal government, especially [the Department of Defense],” he added. “I think millions of Americans echo that sentiment as well.”