U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) has urged Elon Musk, Chair of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), to prioritize smarter federal spending cuts, including reconsidering wasteful enforcement policies such as federal marijuana prohibition.
In a letter sent to Musk, Warren outlined 30 recommendations aimed at reducing government inefficiency while protecting critical programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security.
The letter follows Musk’s recent walk-back of his ambitious pledge to cut $2 trillion in federal spending, scaling it down to $500 billion annually. DOGE, a new federal agency created by President Trump in January 2025, was tasked with overhauling government bureaucracy and slashing waste. Warren’s proposals aim to achieve the agency’s cost-saving goals without sacrificing essential services or relying on tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans.
Warren’s recommendations include addressing inefficiencies in various federal programs, cutting defense spending waste, and curbing abuse in healthcare and education systems. However, the senator’s call to end wasteful enforcement programs—such as federal arrests and detention related to marijuana offenses—stood out as a potential bipartisan solution.
“Ending federal marijuana prohibition would save billions in enforcement costs while allowing states to regulate marijuana as they see fit,” Warren noted in her letter. She emphasized that such measures would align with Musk’s directive to dismantle unnecessary regulations and make government more efficient.
While Musk has yet to comment publicly on Warren’s proposals, the senator expressed her willingness to collaborate on these measures to ensure that taxpayer dollars are used effectively. As DOGE’s role evolves, the focus on reevaluating federal enforcement priorities, including marijuana, could mark a significant shift in national policy.
The letter was sent just a few days after Warren sent Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary-Nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. a 34-page letter detailing her concerns with his nomination and asking him to reiterate his support for legalizing marijuana and other reforms.
