On November 23, 2023, it was announced that U.S. President Donald Trump's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has officially disbanded, leaving just eight months remaining in its intended mandate. This initiative, launched with significant fanfare, was aimed at embodying Trump's commitment to reduce the size of the federal government. However, critics have pointed out that DOGE has delivered few measurable savings.
In a recent interview, Scott Kupor, the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), confirmed to Reuters that DOGE is no longer a centralized entity. This remark marks the first public acknowledgment from the Trump administration regarding the dissolution of DOGE. The agency, established in January, initially made bold strides in its early months by aiming to rapidly shrink federal agencies, reduce their budgets, and realign their operations to reflect Trump's priorities.
Following the disbanding of DOGE, many of its functions have now been absorbed by the OPM, as noted by Kupor and corroborated by documents reviewed by Reuters. Notably, at least two key employees from DOGE have transitioned to roles within the newly formed National Design Studio, a body established through an executive order signed by Trump in August. This studio, led by Joe Gebbia, co-founder of Airbnb, is tasked with enhancing the visual appeal of government websites.
Despite the fading presence of DOGE, the Trump administration previously emphasized its significance through various promotional efforts. Trump, along with his advisors and cabinet members, actively promoted DOGE on social media platforms. Notably, Elon Musk, who initially led DOGE, frequently advocated for its accomplishments. At one point, he famously showcased a chainsaw at the Conservative Political Action Conference, declaring it a tool for cutting bureaucratic inefficiencies.
DOGE claimed to have achieved reductions in federal spending amounting to tens of billions of dollars. However, financial experts found it challenging to verify these claims due to the lack of detailed public accounting from the unit. In an email to Reuters, White House spokeswoman Liz Huston reiterated President Trump's commitment to combating waste, fraud, and abuse within the federal government.
While Trump administration officials have not overtly declared the end of DOGE, there have been indications of its decline since this summer, particularly following Musk's public disagreements with Trump in May. Even though an executive order signed earlier in Trump's term ensured DOGE's existence through July 2026, critical strategies like a government-wide hiring freeze have since been lifted, according to Kupor.
As DOGE fades, its former staff members have begun to assume new roles within the administration. Prominently, Gebbia is now focused on enhancing the "visual presentation" of government websites. His design studio has already launched initiatives aimed at recruiting law enforcement personnel and promoting the president's drug pricing program. Other former DOGE team members have also moved into significant positions, including Zachary Terrell, who now serves as the chief technology officer at the Department of Health and Human Services.
Musk had previously articulated his ambition to "delete the mountain" of government regulations as part of DOGE's mission. This goal remains relevant as the administration continues to work toward reducing regulatory burdens. The White House budget office has assigned Scott Langmack, who represented DOGE at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the task of developing AI applications to analyze U.S. regulations and identify those suitable for elimination.
Recently, Musk has re-emerged in Washington, attending a White House dinner for Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. This return adds another layer of intrigue to the ongoing narrative surrounding DOGE and the Trump administration's broader efforts to reshape federal governance.
Reporting by Courtney Rozen; editing by Chris Sanders and Deepa Babington. This article adheres to the Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.