President Ronald Reagan created the efficiency-minded Grace Commission in 1982, promising that it would “drain the swamp.” President Bill Clinton established the National Partnership for Reinventing Government in 1993 with the goal of making the government “work better, cost less, and get results Americans care about,” keeping it active until 1998.

Elon Musk's ties to the Trump administration pose potential conflicts of interest for his various businesses that have extensive contracts with the federal government.

A crucial tool for Musk could be his new “Department of Governmental Efficiency,” which will function outside government and make recommendations for cuts to, in his words, “excess government spending.