The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a high-profile initiative launched with much fanfare at the beginning of President Donald Trump's second term, has officially ceased operations. According to an exclusive Reuters report, the department disbanded with eight months still left on its original mandate.
The Quiet Demise of a High-Profile Initiative
In the first official confirmation from the administration about DOGE's dissolution, Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor told Reuters earlier this month that the department no longer exists as a centralized entity. "That doesn't exist," Kupor stated when questioned about DOGE's current status.
The closure marks the end of what was originally touted as a symbol of President Trump's commitment to reducing government size and cutting bureaucratic waste. The department's quiet dismantling stands in stark contrast to the extensive media attention that accompanied its creation, when the President, his cabinet, and advisers heavily promoted the initiative across social media platforms.
Elon Musk's Controversial Leadership
The department was initially led by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who became the public face of the aggressive government reform effort. Musk frequently promoted DOGE's operations on his X platform and made headlines with his unconventional approach to bureaucracy.
In one of the most memorable moments from the department's early days, Musk brandished a chainsaw above his head at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor, Maryland, in February. "This is the chainsaw for bureaucracy," Musk declared, capturing the department's disruptive ethos.
During his White House visits, Musk regularly wore a black T-shirt with "DOGE" prominently displayed across the middle, further cementing his association with the controversial initiative.
Controversial Tactics and Employee Backlash
DOGE generated significant controversy in February when it sent an email to federal agencies directing employees to comply with Musk's instruction to list five accomplishments from the previous week. Federal employees across the US government received emails asking them to account for their weekly activities.
The directive turned confrontational when Musk openly stated on Twitter that employees who failed to respond would lose their jobs. "Consistent with President @realDonaldTrump's instructions, all federal employees will shortly receive an email requesting to understand what they got done last week," Musk tweeted, adding the stark warning: "Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation."
Following protests across multiple departments, nearly all federal employees were eventually instructed not to respond to these emails, marking one of several confrontations between DOGE and the federal workforce.
Legacy and Unverified Claims
During its operation, DOGE officials claimed to have achieved tens of billions of dollars in government expenditure reductions. However, these figures remain unverified because the department never provided detailed public accounting of its work. External financial experts have stated that without transparent documentation, it's impossible to confirm these savings claims.
As DOGE dissolves, many of its functions have been absorbed by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM)—the federal government's standard human resources office. Key personnel from the disbanded department have migrated to new initiatives, including the National Design Studio, a body created by executive order in August with a mandate to "beautify" government websites.
Notable transitions include:
- Joe Gebbia: The Airbnb co-founder, who previously worked on Musk's DOGE team, now heads the design studio
- Edward Coristine: A DOGE employee known for recruiting staff through social media, has also joined the new effort
The White House has not formally announced DOGE's dissolution. When responding to inquiries, White House spokeswoman Liz Huston stated: "President Trump was given a clear mandate to reduce waste, fraud and abuse across the federal government, and he continues to actively deliver on that commitment," without directly addressing the department's disbanding.
DOGE's closure comes despite an executive order signed earlier in the term that decreed the department would operate through July 2026. The department's premature ending, with eight months remaining in its mandate, concludes a controversial chapter in the Trump administration's government reform efforts.
