“Shark Tank” star Kevin O’Leary, aka “Mr. Wonderful,” said he wants to see Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) start firing a lot more people.
“I think the issue is they’re not whacking enough,” O’Leary said during an appearance on CNN on Monday night.
Musk, who has been spearheading DOGE for President Donald Trump, has been on a cost-cutting spree within the federal government; DOGE has taken aim at several bureaucratic organizations, including U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Department of Education, in recent weeks.
The X owner has said he is aiming to cut $1 trillion-$2 trillion in annual government spending. That aggressive goal would represent up to 30% of annual spending, after the federal government spent $6.75 trillion in 2024.
Not everyone has been a fan of Musk’s moves, though. Democratic politicians like Hillary Clinton and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who said Musk is “not smart” during a recent harangue, have been critical of the cuts made by the Tesla CEO and DOGE.
O’Leary, though, said he wants to see Musk and his team actually increase the speed and volume of these government cuts.
“These agencies are like big fat chickens dripping over barbecues of fat. This is the best barbecue I’ve ever seen,” he said. “But I don’t think it’s happening fast enough. Not cutting enough. Keep slashing, keep packing.”
The FAA is one agency in particular that O’Leary said Musk should look to trim. He added that Musk and Trump should “cut, cut, cut, cut, cut” while the president has a “24-month mandate” between his Nov. 2024 election victory and the 2026 midterms.
“Believe me, it’s going to work out just great,” O’Leary said.
