The dynamic of cutting government while also cutting out those who answer to voters has alarmed even some fiscal conservatives who have long pushed for Congress to reduce spending.

The Trump administration claims gutting federal agencies will save money, but cutting the IRS means the government collects less taxes. “If you’re interested in the deficit and curbing it, why would you cut back on the revenue side?

In an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper, Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) defended Elon Musk and DOGE’s recommendations for federal job cuts, saying that Americans are “fed up” with government spending.