Image source: X/@USATODAY
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a signature initiative of US President Donald Trump, has reportedly been disbanded with eight months remaining on its charter, drawing attention to the early closure of a programme launched to streamline federal operations by “modernizing federal technology and software to maximize governmental efficiency and productivity.” However, its guiding principles remain “alive and well,” Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor said in a post on X on Monday.“It is no longer a ‘centralized entity,’” Kupor told Reuters earlier this month, marking the first public comment from the Trump administration on DOGE’s closure. “That doesn’t exist,” he added, noting that the initiative had made dramatic early interventions across Washington, targeting agency budgets, redirecting priorities, and aiming to reduce federal spending. Promoted widely on social media by Trump and advisers including Elon Musk, DOGE faced criticism for delivering few verifiable savings.
On Monday, Kupor clarified his earlier remarks on X, emphasizing that while DOGE no longer exists as a centralized entity, its principles remain “alive and well”. “De-regulation; eliminating fraud, waste and abuse; re-shaping the federal workforce; making efficiency a first-class citizen; etc. DOGE catalyzed these changes; the agencies along with USOPM and the White House Office of Management and Budget will institutionalize them!” he wrote. “The work we began with DOGE will continue to shape efficiency and accountability in government for years to come,” Kupor added.According to Reuters, Trump officials have been quietly signalling the end of DOGE. Several former DOGE employees have since taken on new roles across the administration. Joe Gebbia, co-founder of Airbnb and formerly part of Musk’s team, now heads the National Design Studio, tasked with improving government websites. Other staff members, including Edward Coristine and Zachary Terrell, have moved to positions in the Department of Health and Human Services, the Office of Naval Research, and the State Department.Elon Musk, who initially led DOGE, regularly promoted the initiative on social media and famously held a chainsaw onstage at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Maryland, calling it a “chainsaw for bureaucracy.” Despite the disbandment, US President Donald Trump continues to frame DOGE’s goals as part of his broader mandate to reduce waste, fraud, and abuse across the federal government. The administration also confirmed that the government-wide hiring freeze associated with DOGE has ended, though states such as Idaho and Florida are creating local initiatives inspired by the programme.
