Friday, April 17, 2026

The Hidden Costs of Firing Workers: What Elon Musk Overlooked

President Trump and Elon Musk said they could help save money for taxpayers. They talked about giving people a “DOGE dividend” check to help people. Elon Musk said that DOGE could save $150 billion for taxpayers. This is much less than the $1 trillion he promised at first.

Many people think that the savings from DOGE are not real. They also say that Mr. Musk’s actions have caused many problems. He fired many people and took control of government buildings. This led to many lawsuits in court.

A group called the Partnership for Public Service believes that these actions will cost the government about $135 billion this year. In the IRS, losing 22,000 workers could cost $8.5 billion in lost tax money by 2026. Many people are leaving their jobs.

These figures do not include the money spent on lawyers for the lawsuits related to Mr. Trump’s plans. There are around 200 lawsuits, and at least 30 involve the government.

Max Stier, the head of the Partnership for Public Service, said, “Musk is not saving money. He is making things worse for the American people.”

Vocabulary List:
6 words · tap to reveal
ON

Accent

Dividend/ˈdɪvɪdɛnd/noun
A sum of money paid regularly by a company to its shareholders out of its profits.

Lawsuits/ˈlɔːsjuːts/noun
Legal cases brought before a court.

Taxpayers/ˈtæksˌpeɪərz/noun
Individuals or entities that pay tax to a governmental authority.

Partnership/ˈpɑːrt.nərˌʃɪp/noun
An arrangement where entities work together toward a common goal.

Control/kənˈtroʊl/verb
To exercise restraint or direction over; to dominate.

Savings/ˈseɪvɪŋz/noun
Money that is not spent and is set aside for future use.
Vocabulary List:
6 words · tap to reveal
ON
Accent
Dividend/ˈdɪvɪdɛnd/noun
A sum of money paid regularly by a company to its shareholders out of its profits.
Lawsuits/ˈlɔːsjuːts/noun
Legal cases brought before a court.
Taxpayers/ˈtæksˌpeɪərz/noun
Individuals or entities that pay tax to a governmental authority.
Partnership/ˈpɑːrt.nərˌʃɪp/noun
An arrangement where entities work together toward a common goal.
Control/kənˈtroʊl/verb
To exercise restraint or direction over; to dominate.
Savings/ˈseɪvɪŋz/noun
Money that is not spent and is set aside for future use.

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