Here, Democrats can partner with Elon Musk’s DOGE to reduce spending

On Forbes Newsroom, Congressman Ro Khanna (Democrat of California) discussed possible areas of agreement for government reform between Democrats and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy.

Khanna pointed to the Defense Department as a place to cut spending and save taxpayer money, an idea supported by Musk and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), a top Khanna ally.

“Defense contractors are fleecing the American people,” the California Democrat told Forbes. “Over 56% of the discretionary budget goes to defense. And we had 60 Minutes reports and so many journalistic reports about American taxpayers paying 1,000% more for a part that was delivered or sold to the Department of Defense than if it had been sold to another federal agency.”

Khanna also called for examining the federal government for possible cuts, while pointing to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau – which has been a target of Republicans – as an ally in the broader effort to save taxpayer money.

“We need to make sure we are committed to agencies that work for the American people, save money and truly combat waste, fraud and abuse.”

Khanna, who says he has known Musk for over a decade, has defended Musk in recent weeks, criticizing Tesla’s exclusion from California’s EV credits and warning his fellow Democrats against abandoning X. He described his relationship with the world’s richest man as “very open.” “, with areas of disagreement, such as the unionization of Tesla workers.

Watch the full interview above.