Mark Cuban may soon be better known for his public policy ideas than for his years as a Shark Tank judge.
Since his rise to fame, the serial tech entrepreneur has cultivated an image as an outspoken commentator who doesn’t shy away from expressing opinions, even if they are controversial. Recently, this included calling out President Donald Trump over policies Cuban believes will harm the U.S. economy.
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However, Cuban has also identified some problems with another area of policy, specifically one that includes another high-profile tech CEO. He recently laid out his argument against it in a series of posts on X, detailing exactly why he believes action is necessary.
Some critics have accused Cuban of political bias, noting his stances against Trump. But the billionaire’s history indicates that these arguments don’t apply at all.
Mark Cuban has long been an advocate for a smaller government and less federal spending but he doesn’t believe the current administration is addressing this effectively.
Cuban is taking direct aim at another teach leader
Over the past month, one government organization has dominated news cycles, often for unprecedented reasons. The so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) — so-called because it is an organization without Cabinet-level status — is headed by Elon Musk and it is focused on eliminating what it describes as wasteful or unnecessary federal spending.Â
Fans of both Musk and Trump have cheered on these endeavors, even as arguments and lawsuits against them pile up quickly. Legal experts have flagged that DOGE’s actions — including offering federal staffers financial incentives to resign — aren’t legal at all, but that doesn’t seem to be swaying Musk or his delegates.
Related: Mark Cuban delivers a shocking take on Donald Trump’s trade war
Cuban, however, has made it clear that he isn’t impressed by the work being done at DOGE so far. He recently took to X, calling out DOGE for its lack of transparency in its attempts to reduce federal funding, noting the lack of specific details provided by commenters who accuse previous administrations of corrupt spending.
“I may not agree with where the money is going. But as best I can tell, they have not shown any of the spending to be corrupt,” he stated.
Cuban also shared a video of an interview he gave in 2017, in which he advocated for two things; a smaller U.S. government and more efficient U.S. government. “As a libertarian, I think we can reduce employment in government by at least [one]-third” he stated.
Still stand by it. Said it many times before then. Blogged about it too.
Difference is the transparency. @doge says they are transparent. They don’t want anyone questioning them.
When it comes to government transparency:
If you have nothing to hide, hide nothing… https://t.co/P845QlOTAJ
— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) February 9, 2025
Cuban added that he still stands by this argument, but emphasizes that he opposes the way in which DOGE is conducting its operations because the organization is opting against transparent measures. Further, Cuban has stated that he believes Musk and his operatives don’t want to be questioned by anyone.
Other tech leaders echo Cuban’s sentiment, highlighting the potential complications regarding DOGE and its lack of transparency, particularly as it moves to take money away from important organizations and reduce the number of federal government employees.
“DOGE asserts it is saving the government $1 billion every day by slashing “wasteful” spending, which includes canceling diversity initiatives and terminating underutilized contracts,” states Neal K. Shah, founder and CEO of CareYaya. Yet, a number of sources claim Musk’s DOGE spent nearly $7 million dollars in one week and has requested a budget of $14.4 million for its first. year.Â
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Shah highlights Cuban’s suggestion of Musk allowing some democratic politicians to join his work with DOGE, suggesting that it could help improve the public’s understanding of DOGE’s mission and motives.
Could Cuban help save DOGE from itself?
A look at Cuban’s history of advocating for a smaller government and more efficient spending makes it clear that he is a firm believer in this type of system. But he seems to see it as being best for the American people as a whole, suggesting that Musk is only focused on himself.
“Anyone consider that maybe Elon’s mission is for Elon to get what he wants, rather than the country to get what you voted for?” he asked in another recent post.
Related: Elon Musk’s recent DOGE decision raises major red flags
Despite this skepticism, Cuban has also offered potential solutions, such as for DOGE to stream its discussions and host 24-hour social media spaces, which could allow for further transparency between Musk’s team and the people they are supposed to be serving.
Chris Bastardi, co-founder and principal of Baro Strategies, shares Cuban’s mindset that reducing government spending could be beneficial to the country as a whole. However, he also sees potential complications with Musk’s organization stating:
“DOGE risks being too impacted by the personalities behind it; it has been given access to data that may not be proper; and there are questions about conflict of interest that concern people. Its approach has exacerbated these traits, and may ultimately limit its success.”
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