Elon Musk defended his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) against critics by reposting a 2011 video of Barack Obama announcing the “Campaign to Cut Waste.”

In the video, Obama aimed to reduce unnecessary government spending, joking that Vice President Joe Biden was in charge of the initiative.

Obama highlighted examples of wasteful spending, like funding a folk music website, and emphasized that the government should operate within its means, similar to families. Musk compared DOGE’s aggressive cuts to Obama’s initiative, arguing that both aimed at tackling wasteful spending.

However, critics on social media pointed out that Obama’s efforts were less drastic, focusing on reducing unused buildings, whereas Musk’s approach involves deeper cuts. Some supporters, including Joe Rogan, suggested it took figures like Musk and Trump to turn such discussions into action. Polls show most Americans support the cuts, though legal challenges persist.