Acolytes of Elon Musk, working in the Department of Government Efficiency, are currently gutting the US government, with Musk claiming he’ll find savings of up to US$2 trillion.

Department by department, DOGE staff – mostly young men from the tech world – are sacking federal employees and gaining access to some of the government’s most sensitive information.

Vittoria Elliott, a reporter for WIRED covering platforms and power, has been tracking the Silicon Valley figures reshaping the US government – and finding out what it means for the future of her country. 

(This is part one of a two-part interview.)

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Guest: Reporter for WIRED covering platforms and power, Vittoria Elliot