Senate Majority Leader John Thune is leading the charge to cut government waste by backing President Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Thune says DOGE, led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, will streamline federal agencies, slash regulations, and save taxpayer dollars. He claims Americans want a smaller, more effective government that sends power back to the states instead of keeping it trapped in Washington. Thune’s push aligns with Trump’s promise to “drain the swamp” and has strong Republican support.
The DOGE initiative has already frozen billions in wasteful spending and announced plans to shrink the federal workforce. Thune argues bloated agencies like the EPA and IRS are filled with unnecessary bureaucrats who don’t even show up to the office. He points out that only 6% of federal employees work entirely in-person, suggesting many jobs could be moved out of D.C. or eliminated entirely. Conservative lawmakers like Sen. Tommy Tuberville and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene are demanding budget deals that protect DOGE’s authority to keep cutting.
Liberal opponents, including government unions, are panicking. They claim DOGE’s cuts will gut Social Security, Medicare, and other programs Americans rely on. But Thune calls this fearmongering. He says trimming fat from D.C. will actually protect these programs long-term by stopping runaway spending. The GOP is also pushing to make Trump’s 2017 tax cuts permanent, arguing lower taxes boost the economy while DOGE handles the belt-tightening.
Thune has zero patience for federal workers skipping the office. He slammed reports showing most telework instead of serving the public. “If they aren’t at their desks, why keep paying for expensive D.C. real estate?” he asked. DOGE is exploring ways to move agencies to cheaper locations outside the capital. Conservatives say this will save money and spread jobs across the country, not just in liberal coastal cities.
Some Republicans, like Sen. Susan Collins, worry Trump and DOGE are overstepping by ignoring Congress on spending. But most conservatives dismiss these concerns, saying bold action is needed to stop Washington’s addiction to wasting money. They argue the Founding Fathers wanted a limited federal government, not the bloated bureaucracy we have today. Thune says lawsuits from the left won’t stop DOGE’s mission to respect taxpayers.
House and Senate GOP leaders are uniting behind a budget plan that locks in DOGE’s cuts and raises the debt ceiling. They’re using a special process called reconciliation to bypass Democrat obstruction. The goal is to force spending discipline while extending Trump’s pro-growth tax policies. Liberals are fighting to protect pet projects and regulations, but Thune says voters gave Republicans a mandate to clean up D.C.
DOGE is also targeting Biden-era rules that hurt businesses and energy producers. Thune wants to use the Congressional Review Act to cancel regulations on everything from car emissions to methane fees. He says these rules kill jobs and let coastal elites control heartland industries. Conservatives believe rolling back red tape will unleash American innovation and make goods more affordable.
Thune’s message is clear: no agency should be spared from DOGE’s budget knife. He’s confident Republicans can deliver a government that’s efficient, accountable, and finally lives within its means. With Trump’s backing and grassroots momentum, Thune says the era of endless spending and lazy bureaucrats is over.
