Obama Aides Acknowledge Missed Opportunities in Government Efficiency under Trump Administration
Former aides to President Barack Obama acknowledged on an episode of "Pod Save America" that they should have implemented some of the initiatives current President Donald Trump is pursuing through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
During the discussion about DOGE's efforts to reduce federal spending, the "Obama bros" expressed regret over their administration's approach. Jon Lovett, a former Obama speechwriter, mentioned that he was unaware the executive branch could make drastic cuts to federal spending as done by the Trump administration.
Lovett stated, "Honestly, some of this is pretty annoying because it's some of the stuff we should've done. We didn't know you could do some of this."
Another former speechwriter, Jon Favreau, echoed this sentiment and noted the challenges the Obama administration faced in trying to eliminate inefficiency within the government.
Favreau said, "We all know that government is slow. We all know government can be inefficient. We all know that the bureaucracy can be bloated." He reflected on their efforts to reorganize and improve efficiency, which he described as challenging.
The conversation also touched on the inadequacies of federal technology during the Obama years, with Favreau commenting, "The technology in the federal government, at least when we were there, sucked. There was no service in the basement of the West Wing."
The podcast episode aired just before Trump signed an executive order directing agencies to work with DOGE to streamline the federal government. This order is part of a series of recent cuts affecting various budgets, including DEI funding and costs associated with migrant accommodations.
The "Obama Bros" have been active in media in recent weeks, advising Democrats on political strategy as Trump enters his second term.
