Throughout the 2024 campaign, a number of critical issues were debated — from rising inflation to illegal immigration, healthcare access to national security, and everything in between. But there was perhaps no more pressing issue discussed than our skyrocketing national debt.
President-elect Donald Trump’s commitment to addressing that issue, coupled with the Biden administration’s runaway spending and fiscal ignorance, was a key reason that he won the election. Simply put, there is no greater existential threat to the future of our country than our national debt, and for the first time in decades, with the Department of Government Efficiency, we finally have the opportunity to get it under control.
When he unveiled the project in November 2024, Trump said the DOGE will “dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure federal agencies,” adding that it will “provide advice and guidance from the outside of government, and will partner with the White House and Office of Management and Budget to drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.”
Headed up by entrepreneurs Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, the DOGE could transform the way we think about government. By bringing in two extremely accomplished outsiders and businesspeople who understand how the private sector works, the DOGE will make the government more nimble and accountable, reduce red tape and wasteful spending, and begin the work of bending back the curve of our national debt and setting our country on a more stable path toward long-term prosperity. For the first time in generations, the private sector is set to play a significant role and restore capitalism’s power inside our government.
The DOGE represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to start lowering the debt. For perspective, in 2000, our national debt stood at $10.3 trillion. Today, it’s more than $36 trillion, and on average, we are adding over $6 billion of debt every single day. In September 2024, it accounted for 123.1% of the country’s nominal gross domestic product, and the more than $900 billion in interest U.S. taxpayers pay to service the debt exceeds what the country spends annually on national defense.
This problem wasn’t created overnight and won’t be solved in one. While the DOGE won’t solve our national debt crisis, it does have the power to put us on a path toward fixing it.
The first step in addressing the national debt is to eliminate annual budget deficits. Rather than waiting for a fiscal crisis to force mandatory cuts, our government should proactively identify areas for reduction.
The DOGE can spearhead this effort by setting a new standard for cutting waste and reallocating resources effectively. Reducing wasteful spending not only ensures taxpayer dollars are used responsibly but also allows funds to be redirected toward programs that deliver tangible benefits and enjoy broad public support.
Some of the most egregious examples of waste are hidden in plain sight. For instance, billions of dollars are being spent on maintaining underutilized federal office spaces, many of which remain empty as remote and hybrid work continues. The private sector wouldn’t tolerate such inefficiency, and our government shouldn’t either.
Equally troubling is the widespread fraud and misuse of COVID-19 relief funds, including billions in improper payments and even celebrities benefiting from grants meant for struggling small businesses. Every misallocated dollar is a lost opportunity to help those who genuinely need support. While much of this money may never be recovered, the DOGE can help ensure such waste is prevented in the future by promoting tighter oversight and accountability.
The DOGE also has the opportunity to inspire broader reform across the nation. The conversation has already begun in Washington, with the recent push to streamline federal spending as part of continuing budget resolutions. States are taking note as well, with a New Jersey state senator recently proposing the creation of a state-level Department of Government Efficiency. Other states could soon follow suit, which could create a nationwide effort to rethink how governments operate at every level.
Leadership isn’t about avoiding tough decisions — it’s about making them for the greater good. Addressing our national debt will require near-term sacrifices to achieve long-term stability, but the alternative, continuing down the current path, is unsustainable.
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More than anything, the DOGE represents an opportunity to break the cycle of complacency. For too long, the government has operated under the belief that inefficiency is an unchangeable reality. The DOGE challenges this mindset by proving that change is not only possible but necessary.
Rome wasn’t built in a day — and our financial outlook won’t be rebuilt in one either. Big changes begin with small, deliberate steps, and the DOGE is poised to take the first. By embracing this opportunity, we can start to restore fiscal discipline, rebuild trust in government, and secure a brighter future for generations to come.
Stephen Lawson is a communications professional and Principal at Dentons. His clients include Fortune 500 companies, trade associations, and issue advocacy organizations. He has previously served as an adviser to former Florida Gov. Rick Scott, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones (R-GA), and Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns.