$80k US govt expenditure in Ghana cited as Trump appoints Elon Musk to improve efficiency

In his quest to overhaul the US government and crack down on wastage in the use of taxpayers’ money, newly elected President Donald Trump has named tech billionaire Elon Musk and biotech investor Vivek Ramaswamy as heads of the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

While DOGE aims to dismantle bureaucracy in the US government through cost-cutting, some critics have been questioning its actual role and significance in the yet-to-be-formed government of Donald Trump.

However, a report by multinational conservative news channel Fox News has cited a number of expenditures by the outgoing Biden administration, including an $80,000 survey conducted in Ghana, as some questionable use of US taxes that justifies the institution of DOGE.

In a recent edition of his Primetime Show, Fox News presenter Jesse Watters revealed that the US Federal government spent the amount on a survey in Ghana “asking taxi drivers whether climate change made it harder to drive.”

Among other things, he revealed that the Federal Government “spent half a million on a study to see if selfies make you happy. A million went to study if Japanese quails were more frisky if you gave them cocaine. The feds spent 20 grand on drag shows in Ecuador, $80,000 in Ghana asking taxi drivers if climate change made it harder for them to drive, and half a million so [Dr.] Dr. Fauci could create transgender monkeys,” he stated.

In announcing his nominees to head DOGE, Donald Trump, who won the November 5, 2024, US presidential election, said the pair would act in an advisory capacity and that DOGE would not be an official government department.

Since his victory, Trump has hit the ground running by naming several nominees for various roles in his government.

Elon Musk, the owner of several tech companies such as X (formerly Twitter), SpaceX, and Starlink, was a heavy donor and supporter of Trump’s election bid.

The billionaire is known for his demand for efficiency and waste-cutting, which was apparent in his decision to fire several of X’s staff after acquiring the social media platform for a whopping $44 billion in 2022.