DOGE is no more
24 Nov 2025

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a high-profile and contentious initiative led by Elon Musk under President Donald Trump, has been shut down months before its planned end.

OPM Director Scott Kupor confirmed the closure, saying "Elon Musk-DOGE doesn't exist" anymore and no longer operates as a "centralized entity."

The OPM has now absorbed many of its responsibilities, quietly closing the chapter on one of Trump's most heavily promoted government projects.

Goals and early achievements
Initial impact

Launched at the start of Trump's second term, DOGE aimed to overhaul federal agencies in line with the President's priorities.

The initiative made major changes across departments, with some of its top members moving to the National Design Studio, a new unit created under an August executive order.

Led by Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia, this body aims to "beautify" federal websites.

Decline and unverified savings claims
Controversies

Despite its early successes, DOGE's downfall is a stark contrast to the publicity it received in its initial months.

Musk even brandished a chainsaw at the Conservative Political Action Conference, calling it "the chainsaw for bureaucracy."

However, external analysts couldn't verify DOGE's claims of saving tens of billions of dollars as the government didn't provide a full accounting.

White House defends Trump's commitment to reducing waste
Defense

Despite DOGE's dissolution, the White House defended Trump's commitment to cutting government waste.

Spokeswoman Liz Huston said, "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."

However, Kupor confirmed that a major DOGE measure, the government-wide hiring freeze, has also ended.