As the head of the Department of Government Efficiency, it must sometimes feel like the weight of the world is on Elon Musk's shoulders.
The controversial tech billionaire has firmly got his feet under the table in Washington, and while he's technically a 'special government employee' who can only work 130 days in the year, he's taking his role at the DOGE very seriously.
Hoping to make $2 trillion in cuts to government spending, Musk and his team have wasted no time in gutting departments like USAID and showing thousands of government workers the door.
Advert
While Musk talks a big talk, there are continued concerns that the numbers aren't adding up. Aside from some award accounting errors that led to the DOGE removing billions in savings from its supposed 'wall of receipts', there's the inescapable fact that new Treasury data shows government spending has risen to a record-breaking $603 billion in February 2025.
Musk remains steadfast in his mission to trim the fat, but what if it isn't his mission at all?
Podcaster Joe Rogan has shared a clip from 2011, seemingly showing former President Barack Obama announcing his own plans to cut THE federal spend where possible.
Advert
In the resurfaced video, Obama says that getting rid of the deficit will require some 'tough decisions’, adding that it will involve cutting back on the billions being spent in programs that some people love and care about.
The former President goes on to say it should be easy to get rid of the "pointless waste and stupid spending that doesn't benefit anybody."
Foreshadowing what the DOGE seems to be saying, a defiant Obama said: "No amount of waste is acceptable, not when it's your money."
Obama highlighted a number of websites being paid for by taxpayers' money, as well as empty government buildings that are all hitting us in the pocket. Hyping a renewed effort to hunt down every dime, he tasked then-Vice President Joe Biden with spearheading the scheme. While you might not have heard of it, the Campaign to Cut Waste was signed into power by an executive order on June 13, 2011.
Advert
You might remember that Obama also controversially formed the United States Digital Service to overhaul the archaic government infrastructure in 2014. You might also remember that the USDS was recently revamped as the United States DOGE Service, and there was a mass walkout due to its handling under Musk's new regime.
It seems Rogan was trying to do Musk a favor here by taking the heat off some of the controversy surrounding the DOGE's actions, although it's instead led to some claiming Musk has simply stolen the idea from the Obama administration.
Advert
Others were annoyed by the video and claimed it calls out the double standards of those who are against Musk's work with the DOGE.
One Musk supporter cheered: "The difference is… Joe lined his and Obama’s pockets… Elon is getting rid of it!"
Another added: "Makes sense. Amazing how when a Republican tries to do it then the Democrats automatically want to stop it."
A third chimed in: "Bizarre how Obama administration proclaimed the exact things that’s being implemented by Musk today, but somehow the dems ain’t happy 😂😂. DUEL STANDARDS."
Advert
Someone else remained a little more neutral as they concluded: "He laid out all the bullsh*t in his speeches and for the life of me I don't know how everyone f**king missed it.. maybe they didn't and just f**king didn't give a sh*t, I don't know..."
Even though this isn't the first time the comparison has been made, some have accused Musk of 'weaponizing' Obama's supposedly good intentions. While Musk's supporters and the likes of Rogan continue to rally around him, it's clear the DOGE remains divisive.