DOGE Sweeps into 15 Federal Agencies, Including the IRS

Summary

Podcast Summary: The 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson Episode: DOGE Sweeps into 15 Federal Agencies, Including the IRS Release Date: February 14, 2025

Ben Ferguson, host of The 47 Morning Update, delves into a range of pressing political issues, centering primarily on the Biden administration's challenges and President Donald Trump's strategic maneuvers within his first weeks in office. This episode, released on February 14, 2025, covers three major stories: Elon Musk's infiltration of federal agencies, Democratic efforts to undermine Trump's agenda, and proposed tax cuts aimed at alleviating financial burdens on American families.

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1. Elon Musk's Infiltration of Federal Agencies

Ben Ferguson opens the discussion by highlighting a provocative development: Elon Musk and his team have gained access to 15 federal agencies under the auspices of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). This move is perceived as a strategic effort to uncover and eliminate government waste, fraud, and abuse.

Key Points:

• Scope of Access: Musk's team is actively seeking data and attempting to disrupt operations across at least 15 government agencies, aiming to promote a dramatically smaller federal government.

• DOGE's Secrecy: Despite their significant presence, DOGE has not disclosed the identities of its staff members. The Washington Post's investigative efforts have identified over 30 individuals associated with Musk's infiltration, many of whom are young professionals in their twenties.

• Impact on Government Operations: The presence of Musk's team has led to internal tensions, with attempts to undermine federal workers associated with DOGE, fostering a climate of fear and retaliation.

Notable Quotes:

• Donald Trump (05:12):
  "I don't know if it's kickbacks or what's going on. But the people, look, I ran on this and the people want me to find it. And I've had a great help with Elon Musk, who's been terrific... Then I'm going to tell him very soon, like maybe in 24 hours to go check the Department of Education. He's going to find the same thing. Then I'm going to go, go to the military. Let's check the military. We're going to find billions, hundreds of billions of dollars of fraud and abuse."

• Ben Ferguson (05:51):
  "The president was saying to you, the American people, you told me what the mandate was. You wanted me to cut the size of government. You wanted me to make sure that they weren't wasting your tax dollars. You wanted to make sure that your money was going to America first policies. That is exactly what Donald Trump is delivering on."

Analysis: Ferguson emphasizes the administration's focus on fiscal responsibility and transparency, portraying Musk's involvement as a catalyst for significant governmental reforms. The assertion that Musk's team comprises predominantly young individuals introduces a generational dynamic into the political discourse, which Ferguson suggests is a point of contention for Democrats.

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2. Democratic Backlash: Ilhan Omar Accuses Trump of Dictatorship

The second major topic revolves around Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar's recent public statements, where she characterizes President Trump as a dictator and a tyrant, despite his short tenure of three weeks in office.

Key Points:

• Omar's Claims: During an appearance on CBS's Face the Nation, Omar alleges a constitutional crisis, accusing the executive branch of disregarding constitutional checks and balances and sidelining congressional authority.

• Ben Ferguson's Rebuttal: Ferguson disputes Omar's claims, labeling them as false and indicative of Democratic desperation to counteract Trump's early successes. He criticizes Omar's ability to credibly defend agencies like USAID, citing her controversial comments about 9/11 terrorists as indicative of broader Democratic extremism.

Notable Quotes:

• Ilhan Omar (07:10):
  "We are witnessing a constitutional crisis. We are seeing an executive branch that has decided that they are no longer going to abide by the Constitution in honoring Congress's role in the creation of the agencies, in their role in deciding where money is allocated... The checks and balances are working. What is not working is the way that the executive is behaving and the congressional leadership that is failing the American people."

• Ben Ferguson (08:55):
  "She just claimed that the court systems had stopped Donald Trump on every executive order. That is a lie... Democrats right now are putting different extremists out there to try to find out a way to undermine the present."

Analysis: Ferguson frames Omar's statements as part of a broader Democratic strategy to destabilize Trump's administration by labeling it authoritarian. By challenging the legitimacy of Omar's claims and highlighting her past contentious remarks, Ferguson seeks to delegitimize her position and underscore what he perceives as inherent weaknesses within the Democratic leadership.

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3. Proposed Tax Cuts in the Reconciliation Bill

The final segment focuses on the Trump administration's ambitious tax cut proposals, which are part of a larger reconciliation bill. These tax cuts are touted as measures that will provide substantial financial relief to American families by reducing the federal tax burden.

Key Points:

• Tax Savings Estimates: The proposed policy changes are projected to save taxpayers between $5 trillion to $11.2 trillion over the next decade, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.

• Specific Tax Cuts: Key components include:

  • Eliminating Taxes on Tips: Projected to save between $100 billion to $550 billion.
  • Exempting Overtime Pay from Federal Taxes: Estimated savings range from $250 billion to $3 trillion.
  • Exempting Social Security Benefits from Federal Taxes: Expected to save between $550 billion to $1.5 trillion.

• Government Spending Reductions: Other measures aim to lower taxes on U.S. production of certain goods, save $100 to $200 billion, reduce tax benefits for stadium owners, and end the carried interest loophole, collectively saving an additional $100 billion.

Notable Quotes:

• Caroline Levitt, Press Secretary (11:37):
  "I can confirm that the more than 8 million taxpayer dollars that have gone to essentially subsidizing subscriptions to Politico on the American taxpayers dime will no longer be happening. The DOGE team is working on canceling those payments now."

• Ben Ferguson (12:02):
  "Donald Trump and congressional Republicans are in deep negotiations and went all weekend long on a tax package that a budget watchdog group estimated would actually save you 5 to 11.2 trillion over the next decade... That's how much the government is reporting it to the media as they're trying to keep more of your dollars."

Analysis: Ferguson presents the tax cuts as a direct result of the administration's anti-waste and anti-fraud initiatives, positioning these financial benefits as a reward for taxpayers. By highlighting specific areas of tax reduction, he underscores the tangible advantages these policies are expected to deliver to American families, further bolstering the narrative of a government prioritizing fiscal responsibility and individual prosperity.

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Conclusion: Trump's Approval and Democratic Anxiety

Ben Ferguson concludes the episode by asserting that President Trump's swift actions have garnered him a high approval rating, reflecting public support for his efforts to streamline government operations and reduce unnecessary expenditures. Concurrently, the Democratic Party is portrayed as increasingly anxious and reactive, scrambling to develop strategies to counteract Trump's early successes and maintain their political influence.

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Final Thoughts: This episode of The 47 Morning Update presents a bold portrayal of the early days of the Trump administration, emphasizing themes of governmental reform, partisan conflict, and economic policy shifts. Through a combination of direct quotes, analytical commentary, and strategic framing, Ben Ferguson crafts a narrative that champions the president's initiatives while critiquing Democratic opposition as disorganized and ideologically driven.

Transcript

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[Donald Trump]

And this should have been done by Biden years ago. This should have never been allowed to happen. I know he's a friend of yours. He's a friend of cnn. That's why nobody watches CNN anymore, because they have no, no credibility. Who else? Yes, please.

[Ben Ferguson]

You're listening to the 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson.

Well, happy Friday morning. You made it to the weekend. Ben Ferguson with you. And here are the big stories we're covering today on Morning Update. First up, Democrats are losing their mind as Elon Musk and his team have now gained more access to a total of 15 government agencies. What are they finding? I'll have it for you in just a moment. Democrats also trying to figure out how they are going to fight back against Donald Trump. And in story number two, Elam Omar goes on national TV to say that Donald Trump is, in essence, a dictator and a tyrant when he's just been on the job for three weeks. And finally, we have the list of the likely tax cuts that could save you and your family a ton of money that Donald Trump wants in the reconciliation bill. We'll have those details as well. It's the 47 Morning Update, and it starts right now. If there's one thing that Donald Trump has done that has really made the left angry, it's the fact that he's exposing the waste of fraud and the good old abuse in the United States government. We're also finding out each and every day just how bad things have gotten. And now it seems clear that Donald Trump is saying to Elon Musk and his team, go find it all. Elon Musk and his team have now swept into 15 agencies. And this is what we know. Staffers and allies of Musk and his service are, well, fanning out across Washington in the last week, especially seeking access to data and disrupting operations in at least 50, 15 government agencies in pursuit of dramatically smaller federal government. DOGE, which you know stands for the Department of Government Efficiency, has not disclosed the names of its staff members. But the Washington Post is trying to do a let's out you list. They've identified now more than 30 people working for closely with by examining the internal directories they claim of multiple agencies and, and interviewing numerous federal workers, virtually all of whom spoke on condition of anonymity to fear for, quote, major retaliation. Now, this is when you know that Elon Musk is getting somewhere in Donald Trump. When you have this many people inside the government that are trying to undermine the people that are working with doge. They're hoping that they can get them in trouble or find a way to get them fired. Now, about half of those identified have ties to Musk or his companies. Why? Well, these are clearly the people that he trusts with his companies and also people, well, that operated another level when it comes to intellect. Now, among those are young people. And the reality is many on the Democratic Party are angry at the fact that many of these people working for Elon Musk are young, in their twenties. Another way of putting it. It's clear age discrimination. They don't like the fact that young people are coming in and looking at ways to cost cut or looking for the waste, fraud and abuse and exposing it the way that Elon Musk is on X. What's also very interesting about what's happening now is much of the waste, fraud and abuse is being exposed instantly because Elon Musk will get the information. Then he checks and verifies it and then he's putting it out on social media so that, you know, before the media can protect or stop the story from ever being written, he's going around the media. Now, Donald Trump was asked in an interview during the halftime of the super bowl on Sunday night about if he trusts Elon Musk because again, what is the left doing trying to tell you that Elon Musk and his staff cannot be trusted? What did Donald Trump say? Take a listen.

[Donald Trump]

I don't know if it's kickbacks or what's going on. But the people, look, I ran on this and the people want me to find it. And I've had a great help with Elon Musk, who's been terrific. Bottom line, you say you trust him, Trust Elon. Oh, he's not gaining anything. In fact, I wonder how he can devote the time to it. He's so into it. But I told him do that. Then I'm going to tell him very soon, like maybe in 24 hours to go check the Department of Education. He's going to find the same thing. Then I'm going to go, go to the military. Let's check the military. We're going to find billions, hundreds of billions of dollars of fraud and abuse. And you know, the people elected me on that.

[Ben Ferguson]

Hundreds of billions of dollars of fraud and abuse. It was very clear. The president was saying to you, the American people, you told me what the mandate was. You wanted me to cut the size of government. You wanted me to make sure that they weren't wasting your tax dollars. You wanted to make sure that your money was going to America first policies. That is exactly what Donald Trump is delivering on. And he's expanding the scope of where he's looking for all of the government waste, fraud and abuse.

Now, story number two, it is very.

Clear Democrats are trying to find their footing and how they're going to deal with all the successes over the last three weeks of Donald Trump's agenda. They understand now that they've got to come up with some plan to undermine him. The media is obviously on board to help with that. Alam Omar has come out just days after Democrats already called for a third impeachment of Donald Trump from the floor of the House to say that it's very clear that Donald Trump has decided he will not abide their claiming by the Constitution. They're now saying he is a dictator and a tyrant. Representative Alam Omar on Sunday on CBS Face the Nation had a few other things to say about Donald Trump. This is their game plan of how they're going to undermine him. Listen carefully to the words she uses.

[Ilhan Omar]

We're joined now by Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar of Minnesota. Good to have you here. You have spoken quite a bit this week about what USAID meant in your life, particularly when you were living in a refugee camp for four years. And usaid, you talked about helping to keep you alive. We know this week a federal judge will come to some kind of hearing and decision perhaps on what happens to all those government workers. Are the Courts, the main line of defense here.

Yeah, I mean, what we are witnessing is a constitutional crisis. We are seeing an executive branch that has decided that they are no longer going to abide by the Constitution in honoring Congress's role in the creation of the agencies, in their role in deciding where money is allocated. And so the only recourse we have since our congressional leadership, the speaker will not stop the executive, is through the judiciary. And this is, you know, when you think about the checks and balances that we have, the courts are the only recourse we have at the moment. And we have seen, and when we talk about the illegality of what the executive is doing, we have seen every single executive order that has been challenged in the courts was found to be illegal. And that, I think, should give faith to the American people that our courts are working as they should. The checks and balances are working. What is not working is the way that the executive is behaving and the congressional leadership that is failing the American people.

Well, some of these court cases are ongoing.

[Ben Ferguson]

So by the way, let's just be clear over what she just said. She just claimed that the court systems had stopped Donald Trump on every executive order. That is a lie. And as you could even hear there, and I'm sure this was hard for them to do at CBS Face the Nation, they even tried to somewhat correct her and say, well, these are ongoing. He's only been president for three weeks. How can you make such an egregious claim? You also have to remember who the Democrats are putting out on tv. Face of the Democratic Party now has become so radical, they decide to put a congresswoman out there as their face. This week on Face the Nation, a woman that referred to the 911 terrorists as some people that did some things. We also are finding out that the Democrats are putting different extremists out there to try to find out a way to undermine the present. You notice in the beginning of that interview, Margaret Brennan is talking about, we know that USAID meant so much to you and your life. Why did she say that? Well, it's very clear they're trying to cover for the abuse, waste, the fraud coming from USAID and even the funneling of money to actual terrorists. So what better person to have on TV to defend the program than a woman that refers to the 911 hijackers as some people that did some things. Now, Omar was not done there. She also went on to say this. I mean, what we're witnessing is a constitutional crisis. We are seeing an executive branch that has decided they no longer are going to abide by Constitution and honoring Congress's role in the creation of the agencies and their role and in deciding where money is allocated. So now what does she say? You have a president of the United States of America that has gone rogue. I think it's pretty clear the Democrats are now trying anything they can to get their footing, whether it's impeaching Donald Trump or saying he's a dictator or a tyrant or someone not abiding by the Constitution, all because Democrats don't, don't know what to do because there's so much winning going on in Washington.

And lastly, story number three.

I have an important list for you today and is the list of the likely tax cuts that now Donald Trump wants in the reconciliation bill. What this means for everyday Americans is real savings for you. Now, the plan has become even more ambitious, mainly because of all the, well, abuse of your tax dollars at the Trump administration has found in the last three weeks, the press secretary, Caroline Levitt came out to explain just one of the abuses of your tax dollars being used against you. And it was when the money they found was going to media outlets, including Politico. This is what has spun the president up to give more of your money back to you.

[Caroline Levitt]

So upon coming out here to the briefing room, I was made aware of the funding from USAID to media outlets including Politico, who I know has a seat in this room. And I can confirm that the more than 8 million taxpayer dollars that have gone to essentially subsidizing subscriptions to Politico on the American taxpayers dime will no longer be happening. The Doge team is working on canceling those payments now.

[Ben Ferguson]

So when they find the money and then they decide to cancel these types of payments, the question many asked was, well, what's going to happen next? Well, it's now is clear the president saying he wants you to keep more of your money and stop giving so much of it to the government. President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans are in deep negotiations and went all weekend long on a tax package that a budget watchdog group estimated would actually save you 5 to 11.2 trillion over the next decade. Now, if you read the media's explanation of that, they'll tell you it's going to cost you between 5 trillion to 11.2 trillion. No, no, no. That's how much the government will not get from you. A series of tax policy changes that Trump supports appear to have broad support among Republicans in Congress. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget has released a study that projects the cost of each item over a 10 year period is going to be huge for you, the American people. Now on that list at the top of it was one big thing, eliminating taxes on tips. This was a huge promise from Donald Trump during the campaign, something he said he would work on as soon as he got into the White House. It would result in a undred billion to 550 billion reduction in federal tax revenue, meaning 100 to 550 billion of taxes that you wouldn't have to pay to the government. We also found out exempting overtime pay from federal taxes would also give 250 to 3 trillion back into the pockets of American workers. And finally, exempting Social Security benefits from federal taxes would now cost between 550 billion and 1.5 trillion. That's how the government is reporting it to the media as they're trying to keep more of your dollars. So what does it really mean? It means that Donald Trump and the Republicans are wanting you to keep between 550 billion to 1.5 trillion that you normally would have paid in taxes. We also been told that the president wants to lower taxes for U. S Production of certain goods that would save you between 100 to 200 billion. And reducing tax benefits for stadium owners and ending the carried interest loophole that would also save the taxpayers a hundred billion dollars. Now all of this is being put together, one of the biggest tax plans we've ever seen. But this is not a big tax plan that's going to raise your taxes. It's going to go down in history as one of the biggest tax cuts in American history. And this is the reason why Democrats right now are so terrified of Donald Trump and his success. Because three weeks in, we also know that Donald Trump has a new high approval rating, meaning the American people are paying attention and the American people are in favor of exactly what Donald Trump is doing.

Thank you for listening to the 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson. Please make sure you hit subscribe wherever you're listening to this podcast right now. And for more in depth news, also subscribe to the Ben Ferguson Podcast and we will see you back here tomorrow.

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