Mark Ruffalo Calls Out Elon Musk Over DOGE in Scathing Post

Actor Mark Ruffalo has taken aim at Elon Musk over his former role in the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), accusing the billionaire of resisting scrutiny over government contracts and complaining about the prospect of losing an election.

In a strongly worded Threads post on 1 November, the Avengers star told Musk that accepting electoral defeats was part of democracy, adding, 'Sometimes you lose. Believe me. That's what politics is. Welcome to America.'

Ruffalo also urged the Tesla and SpaceX CEO to watch Musk, a documentary directed by filmmaker Alex Gibney, describing it as 'wild.'

Mark Ruffalo Accuses Elon Musk of Avoiding DOGE Oversight

Addressing Musk directly, Ruffalo opened his post by calling him 'goofy' before accusing him of 'crashing out' because he did not want to pay taxes or face scrutiny over government money and contracts.

Ruffalo questioned Musk's actions during his time with DOGE, accusing him of resisting scrutiny over his decisions and activities within the department.

He also criticised Musk's response to the prospect of Democrats gaining control of Congress in the midterm elections, arguing that accepting electoral defeats was part of democracy.

'That's part of democracy, bro. Welcome to America,' the actor wrote, contrasting the political system in the US with South Africa's past.

Ruffalo followed up his criticism by sharing a Guardian report examining Musk's political spending during the 2026 US midterm election cycle.

DOGE Savings Claims Face Scrutiny After GAO Findings

Ruffalo's comments come amid questions about the transparency and reliability of savings reported by DOGE, which was established by the Trump administration in 2025 as part of an effort to reduce government spending and improve efficiency.

A report published by the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) in August raised concerns about how the department calculated savings from terminated government contracts, grants and leases.

As of 7 July 2026, DOGE had reported approximately $110.3 billion (£82.7 billion) in savings across the three categories.

However, the watchdog found that DOGE followed its stated methodology for calculating contract savings in only 27.5 per cent of the reported amount, equivalent to $16.8 billion (£12.6 billion).

For another 60.7 per cent, or $37 billion (£27.7 billion), GAO found that DOGE either used different calculations or that its methodology could not be determined.

The report also noted that DOGE did not respond to requests for interviews or clarification. The findings raised questions about the department's reported figures.

Elon Musk Reportedly Spent $446 Million on Midterms

The Guardian report shared by Ruffalo, titled The staggering $446m Elon Musk has spent on the US midterms – visualized, detailed the billionaire's financial backing of Republican-aligned political groups.

According to Federal Election Commission data through 29 October, Musk had donated at least $445.77 million (£334 million) to political groups during the 2026 election cycle.

His largest contributions included $216 million (£162 million) to America PAC, which supported Republican candidates in House and Senate races, and $168 million (£126 million) to the Senate Leadership Fund.

The spending came as Republicans sought to retain control of Congress in the 3 November midterm elections.

Musk's political involvement has also drawn attention to the potential for congressional scrutiny of his activities and DOGE should Democrats gain control of Congress.

Threads Users React to Mark Ruffalo's Criticism

Ruffalo's remarks also prompted reactions from Threads users, with some drawing comparisons to previous celebrity criticism of Musk.

One user shared a screenshot of an earlier post by singer Doja Cat criticising the billionaire, captioning it 'Same energy.'

Another commenter wrote, 'I will never not laugh at this,' while a separate user praised the actor's criticism with the remark, 'The Hulk taking down Elon Musk is a thing of beauty.'

The comment referenced Ruffalo's portrayal of Bruce Banner/the Hulk in Marvel's Avengers films.