Elon Musk, who was head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) until recently, warned before stepping down that the US government wastes over $100 million a year on unnecessary phone lines.
An internal audit found nearly 20% of lines in the Office of Personnel Management were duplicated or unused, and Musk quickly canceled 198 lines in just one hour—highlighting massive savings if this is done across the federal system.
With only 2% of adults still using landlines, the government still keeps thousands of mostly unused numbers active. Musk called this an unprecedented, quiet waste that’s piled up for years, saying the money should fund modern tech and better services.
Although Musk is no longer DOGE’s head, he continues to advise President Trump, and his efforts have put resource management back in the spotlight.
