DOGE cuts into telecommunications industry's business

Iridium, Verizon, and Comcast are among those telecommunications companies that are warning of reduced sales to government customers due to cuts by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). It's likely that DOGE's impact on the telecommunications industry will grow as time goes on. Iridium CEO Matt Desch said USAID had been using the company's satellite services—and now that business is gone following DOGE's cuts to the organization. DOGE is an idea spearheaded by Elon Musk, the world's richest person and the chief executive of companies including SpaceX, Tesla, and xAI. It is intended to trim excess expenses in US government organizations. One of its first moves was to shut down USAID. In recent weeks, DOGE has taken aim at a variety of other programs and government agencies, though it's difficult to ascertain the scope of DOGE's effects due to a range of legal challenges to many of DOGE's cuts. One recent analysis suggests DOGE has cost taxpayers nearly as much as it claims to have saved.