Elon Musk and the federal agency DOGE seem to be constantly in the news, viewed positively by some and seen as a threat by others. It isn’t always clear, however, what DOGE really is, what the agency plans to do and what Musk’s involvement with the agency actually will look like.
Elon Musk–owner of X (formerly Twitter), CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, and the wealthiest man in the world–put his support behind the Trump campaign. He publicly endorsed Trump on July 13th, 2024 and has since been seen as not only as a major supporter of the Trump campaign but an active member. Donald Trump has spoken extremely highly of Musk and his entrepreneurial spirit in many interviews, and Musk could often be seen at Trump rallies throughout the duration of the campaign. Along with being heavily involved in Trump’s campaign, Musk was also announced as a volunteer leader of a new federal agency called DOGE.
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is a new federal agency that was created by Donald Trump through executive order on Jan. 20th, 2025. DOGE is not a formal, permanent fixture in the U.S. government; the agency will operate for eighteen months, after which it will be terminated on July 4th 2026. The purpose of DOGE is to improve the efficiency of the U.S. government and to help save money at a federal level. At a Trump rally in October, Musk stated that DOGE would be able to slash $2 trillion of federal spending, which to many seemed like a lofty goal since the federal government spent over $6.7 trillion last year. Most Americans can agree that these are positive goals to strive for, but not everyone is on board with DOGE and the general goals of the agency.
Federal diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs were the first targets of DOGE. DEI programs are organizational frameworks that are designed to promote fairness, equal representation and equal participation of all people. These programs usually focus on groups that have historically faced discrimination. On Jan. 31st, DOGE announced that taxpayers would see over $1 billion in savings after the elimination of over 104 DEI related contracts. The administration’s motivation behind this move is that they believe DEI programs shouldn’t exist because they encourage hiring based off of a need to ensure representation rather than hiring individuals based on their skills and their merit. These programs are also costly. Attorney Generals from several states have stated their opposition of this action, so there are sure to be legal battles ahead.
DOGE has also set its sights on the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). USAID was created in the 1960s to deliver aid around the world to underdeveloped and impoverished regions. The USAID website went dark on Feb. 3rd and the Trump administration announced that all USAID direct-hire personnel would be put on administrative leave starting Friday, Feb. 7th.
While the main focus of DOGE seems to be slashing programs, it is important to note that the agency also intends to work to improve existing systems and agencies within the federal government. Musk has said that officials at the treasury are working to make the government better. These changes would require that employees update the congressional “do not pay” list, which indicates who should not be given federal funds. Musk stated that when he asked anyone at the treasury how much money going out was fraud, the consensus was about $1 billion a day.
There has also been some discussion of DOGE targeting the Federal Department of Education, an initiative Trump himself has supported as well as many other prominent Republicans throughout the year. It was also reported in the Wall Street Journal in December that officials from DOGE had inquired about abolishing the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). There are likely to be several other agencies who face scrutiny or shutdown from DOGE.
Arguably the most significant political activity surrounding DOGE is the 90-day freeze of federal hiring. While this is not an action that has come straight from DOGE it does concern the agency. On Jan. 20th, Donald Trump signed an executive order that would essentially shut down the federal authority of any agency or department within the executive branch from hiring any new employees for 90 days. This freeze was put in effect while the directors of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) prepare a plan that will be able to efficiently reduce the size of the federal government. After 90 days, the freeze will be lifted for all departments and agencies aside from the IRS.
At the end of the day, DOGE is new, and with any new government initiative, it has a lot of potential to have both positive and negative impacts on the lives of American citizens. The success of DOGE is dependent on cooperation and negotiation, two things that many government officials and politicians are not known for being great at. It will be interesting to see what DOGE will actually be able to accomplish–will it be able to succeed in reaching its lofty goals or will DOGE be a failed experiment in government?