Acolytes of Elon Musk, working in the Department of Government Efficiency, are currently gutting the US government looking for savings of up to US$2 trillion. Department by department, DOGE staff – mostly young men from the tech world – are sacking federal employees and gaining access to some of the government’s most sensitive information.

Vittoria Elliott has been tracking the Silicon Valley figures reshaping the US government – and finding out what it means for the future of her country.