Florida is creating a "DOGE task force" to "eliminate unnecessary bureaucracy and to continue to ensure tax dollars are used in the most efficient way possible," Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Monday.
The Republican said the Sunshine State "has never been in better fiscal health," but "we always want to get better, and so we looked to see what [Elon] Musk is doing with the [Department of Government Efficiency] in Washington, D.C."
"And the one thing I think that they are doing that we need to incorporate is to utilize and leverage technology like artificial intelligence to be able to police the payments and the operations and the contracts that are done in government," DeSantis continued, speaking behind a lectern with the message "Keeping Florida Efficient."
"For example, we have people that review these contracts and if there is DEI, they nix it and things like that. But this is some high-powered stuff and I think would be able to provide us with some good information," he added. "We have already been doing this stuff. This will really help enhance that."
JUDGE BLOCKS DOGE FROM ACCESSING EDUCATION DEPARTMENT RECORDS
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks during a press conference, Feb. 5, in Miami. (AP/Rebecca Blackwell)
DeSantis said: "I am pleased to announce that we are launching a comprehensive initiative to continue to streamline our government and to continue to eliminate unnecessary bureaucracy and to continue to ensure tax dollars are used in the most efficient way possible."
"We are creating a state DOGE task force that will implement a multi-pronged approach to eliminating bureaucratic bloat and modernizing our state government to best serve the people of Florida in the years ahead," he also said. "This will be – similar to the federal DOGE – a limited amount of time. It will be a one-year term. It will sunset following the completion of the mission."
TRUMP SAYS THIS CONGRESSMAN WOULD HAVE HIS ‘TOTAL ENDORSEMENT’ IF HE RUNS FOR FLORIDA GOVERNOR
Elon Musk speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference on Feb. 20, in Oxon Hill, Maryland. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
DeSantis then reiterated in a post on X that "Florida was DOGE before DOGE was cool," noting that since taking office in 2019, he has "saved billions for Floridians year after year, including $3.8 billion in last year’s budget."
Demonstrators gather at the "No Kings on President's Day" protest in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 17. (Deirdre Heavey/Fox News Digital)
There was no immediate reaction to DeSantis’ announcement from Musk.