🇺🇸From Dogecoin to DOGE Leader: Manifest Like Elon Did
Elon Musk’s new role signals a powerful shift, merging Silicon Valley innovation with government efficiency.
As Elon Musk takes on his new title as the Leader of Department Government Efficiency , it feels like we’re living in a sci-fi world where tech dreams and political realities blur into one. Musk’s appointment might surprise many, but let’s be real: we’ve seen this before.
The U.S. has a history of enlisting industry giants—from media to oil—to shape national priorities, and Musk is just the latest in line, this time bringing electric cars, rockets, and internet infrastructure to the table. In fact, this move aligns closely with the approach Trump had already set in motion.
This isn’t a pro-Elon or pro-anything post, but theoretically, there are plenty of reasons why Elon could be well-suited for this position. However, in practice, theory and reality rarely align. In politics, even policy papers, executive orders, and development plans seldom unfold as promised. So, let’s see how it all plays out.
Back in 2017, Trump’s administration established the Office of American Innovation (OAI), signaling his belief in Silicon Valley’s business-minded approach as a tool for modernizing federal operations. The office brought some of the tech world’s biggest names to the table—Jeff Bezos, Tim Cook, Satya Nadella, and Ginni Rometty—to discuss streamlining federal bureaucracy. It spearheaded major initiatives, including the Trump Administration’s IT Modernization Plan and the Centers of Excellence program within the General Services Administration, encouraging federal agencies to move to cloud solutions and improve data management practices.
Musk’s role today builds on this foundation. His ventures in energy, technology, and digital infrastructure align closely with today’s "America First" narrative, which emphasizes reducing reliance on foreign resources, boosting domestic production, and prioritizing national interests. His approach, rooted in aggressive cost-cutting and efficiency-focused strategies in internal business strategies, resonates with this administration's desire for a streamlined, self-sufficient government model. However, it also raises the question: can the boundary between tech industry innovation and government reform truly blur?
A Pattern of Industry Giants in U.S. Politics
There’s a long history of powerful industry leaders jumping into politics, often when they can bring a little private-sector know-how to the public sphere.
After World War I, keeping the nation united and informed became crucial. With radio not yet widely accessible, having a leader from the print industry—a medium that shaped communication—was significant.
Harding, a media veteran and owner of The Marion Star, wasn’t just familiar with news reporting—he understood the power of media to shape public opinion. His influence in the print industry offered him a strategic edge in guiding public sentiment, managing narratives that aligned with his administration’s goals, and consolidating national unity. Harding’s media control provided a direct line to the public, amplifying his administration's priorities without relying on third-party intermediaries.
This resonates strongly with Elon Musk today. Through his ownership of X, Musk holds a similar strategic advantage in shaping public opinion in the digital age. With a few well-timed posts, Musk can spark discussion, shape public sentiment, and even influence policy debates—often at a fraction of the cost traditional media would require. In both cases, the leader’s direct influence over a primary communication platform serves as a powerful tool for rallying support and steering public perception, merging private influence with public policy objectives.
The late 1920s was an era defined by rapid industrial progress, where advancements in mining, manufacturing, and construction were driving unprecedented growth. President Herbert Hoover was big on efficiency and technology, drawing on his own background in mining, where new tools and techniques had reshaped the industry. He tried to bring that same productivity-first mindset into government.
But as the Great Depression hit, it became painfully clear that efficiency alone couldn’t fix deep economic and social crises, highlighting the need for solutions that go beyond just productivity.
Elon Musk, though not facing a crisis on the scale of the Great Depression, has demonstrated how an industry leader can navigate severe disruptions with adaptability. In recent years, Tesla faced the industrial crisis of the global semiconductor shortage—a disruption that hit the auto industry hard and led to billions in lost revenue. Amid COVID-19 challenges and stiff competition from China, Tesla leaned into manufacturing efficiency, turning its Fremont plant into North America’s most productive car factory.
Tesla’s culture of constant improvement—cutting assembly times by 25% and factory space by 30%—helped it not only weather the chip shortage but actually thrive.
While global automakers like Nissan, Honda, and BMW had to halt production, Tesla increased output by 87% in Q4 of 2021, delivering a record 308,000 vehicles. By keeping critical processes in-house, securing direct relationships with chip suppliers, and adapting software to work with alternative parts, Tesla was able to power through a period that derailed much of the auto industry.
P.S. Andrew Mellon: A prominent banker and industrialist, Mellon served as Secretary of the Treasury from 1921 to 1932 under Presidents Harding, Coolidge, and Hoover. His tenure focused on tax reduction and debt management, reflecting his financial acumen.
The oil crises of the late 1970s were a wake-up call, exposing how dependent the U.S. had become on foreign oil and the economic risks that came with it—think inflation, high prices, and an economic slowdown. This led to the creation of the Department of Energy and the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to guard against future disruptions in 1977.
After the time Bush took office, energy independence had become a priority. With his deep ties to the oil industry, he filled key cabinet positions, including the vice presidency, with industry insiders who understood the stakes. To secure domestic resources, reduce reliance on imports, and stabilize prices.
Since some of Bush’s foreign policy moves regarding oil could open up bigger debates, I want to skip these and give the takeaway here, straightforward: when a sector is this crucial to economic and national security, bringing industry leaders into government becomes a strategy for addressing these dependencies.
Import dependencies today go beyond energy and extend to crucial sectors like semiconductors, critical minerals, and advanced technologies (which i will mention later). These dependencies don’t just impact the economy—they’re tied to national security.
Elon Musk is bringing a tech-centric approach to these challenges. With Tesla, Musk’s vision for “all energy generation to be solar” drives his push for electric vehicles and large-scale battery storage—aimed at reducing fossil fuel dependence.
On the security front, digital infrastructure is equally critical. Starlink, Musk’s global satellite internet network, provides independent, secure internet access, boosting resilience in U.S. communication systems—a factor key to both national security and cost-effective public infrastructure. Musk’s ventures not only reflect a commitment to sustainable energy but also position him as a leading force in the drive for energy independence and robust digital infrastructure.
Minerals and Metals
Musk’s push to secure rare earth elements and lithium for Tesla’s batteries has led the company to consider U.S.-based sources, reducing reliance on international suppliers, particularly China. This strategy aligns with the broader goal of strengthening U.S. independence in critical minerals, which power electronics, defense, and renewable energy systems.
With 80% of rare earth elements currently imported from China (U.S. Geological Survey), Musk’s initiatives could help the U.S. mitigate supply chain vulnerabilities, boosting resilience in sectors essential to national security and technological advancement.
Musk’s Tesla Solar and energy storage solutions address the U.S.’s heavy reliance on non-renewable energy sources, with petroleum accounting for 38% of total energy consumption as of 2023.
Tesla’s focus on local energy generation through solar panels and Powerwall storage reduces dependency on imported oil and decreases exposure to price volatility. The recent drop in solar panel prices, from $3.18 per watt in 2022 to $2.68 in 2023, further makes renewable energy an attractive alternative, with nearly 90% of solar adopters reporting satisfaction due to energy savings. By advancing solar and EV adoption, Musk is helping to build a path toward greater U.S. energy independence, making the U.S. energy sector more resilient to market fluctuations and environmental impacts.
Again, the semiconductor shortage… While traditional automakers struggled with halted production, Tesla’s adaptive approach—such as securing direct supplier relationships and modifying software to work with alternative chips—enabled the company to maintain output. This resilience underscores the effectiveness of Tesla’s vertically integrated supply model, offering a blueprint for building domestic semiconductor supply chains that reduce U.S. dependency on foreign sources and enhance supply chain stability across industries, from automotive to defense.
Communication Infrastructure
Starlink, Musk’s satellite internet project, aims to establish a global, decentralized network, offering the U.S. an alternative to traditional, often foreign-controlled internet infrastructure. This becomes especially crucial in an era where secure and resilient communication channels are tied to national security. By providing independent broadband access, particularly to rural and underserved areas, Starlink reduces reliance on foreign telecom infrastructure, bolstering U.S. digital security and enhancing overall cyber defense.
Reducing foreign dependency strengthens DOGE’s mission by ensuring cost savings and supply chain stability for critical government functions. Musk’s focus on self-sufficiency aligns with DOGE’s goals, enhancing resilience and operational efficiency across federal services.
As Musk sets out on this unprecedented journey, one thing is clear: he embodies the priorities of our time—renewable energy, tech independence, and supply chain resilience. Whether this experiment succeeds or stirs new controversies, it represents a bold new chapter in the ongoing relationship between industry and government.