Elon Musk's DOGE has "self-deleted." But not without leaving a trail of wreckage that could take decades to undo.

Tens of thousands of vital government workers have been fired or have left, leaving Americans more vulnerable to a host of threats: terrorism, natural disasters, epidemics, tainted food.

Crucial federal data systems have also been compromised, including Social Security's database with personal information on every living American.

Brookings Institution expert Elaine Kamarck explains how the Trump administration's recklessness has jeopardized the health and safety of all Americans.

Host: Anne Kim, Washington Monthly

Guest: Elaine Kamarck, Brookings Institution

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the DOGE initiative and its failures

01:48 Reinventing government in the 1990s: successes and lessons

04:04 The chaos and randomness of the DOGE approach

05:57 Potential benefits of some DOGE personnel in IT support

07:55 The importance of personnel and timing in government reform

09:49 Emerging risks: food safety, Ebola, and other time bombs

13:11 Risks to social security databases and national security

17:09 Impact of government dismantling on infrastructure and disaster response

19:57 Threats to national security and intelligence capabilities

28:00 Strategies for restoring public trust and effective government