Americans Skeptical About Elon Musk's Influence In Government Policy, New Poll Shows

(MENAFN- Live Mint) A recent poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows that while Americans recognize corruption, inefficiency, and red tape in the federal government, they remain divided on whether Elon Musk is the right person to help fix it.

Mixed approval for Trump's Advisory body

The poll found that only 30% of US adults strongly or somewhat approve of President Trump 's creation of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) , which Musk is leading. About 40% disapprove, while the remainder are neutral or uninformed. The goal of the advisory body is to identify fraudulent and wasteful spending, with leaders suggesting the elimination of entire agencies as a cost-cutting measure. While most Americans acknowledge the government's issues, many are skeptical of relying on billionaires like Musk for government policy advice.

Ambivalence on proposed changes

Americans have mixed opinions on some of the policy changes Trump and his team have discussed, including eliminating federal jobs and moving agencies outside Washington, D.C. Many respondents expressed no opinion, suggesting that public opinion is still fluid and could shift as these plans develop. However, Trump's return-to-office policy for federal workers, which he implemented early in his second term, has garnered relatively strong support.

A broken federal government

As Trump enters his second term promising to cut regulations and reduce government bureaucrats, most Americans believe the federal government has serious problems. Two-thirds of US adults consider corruption and inefficiency major issues, while 60% cite red tape as a significant concern. Even though Republicans are more likely to view these problems as urgent, a majority of Democrats agree that the government faces considerable challenges in these areas.

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