Doge was a very real government program that Donald Trump actually created with an executive order on his first day in office. According to multiple reports, it has been disbanded eight months ahead of schedule. Doge had been appointed to lead the implementation of the ambitious, landmark structural reform until July 24, 2026. Visionaries such as Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy helped lead the charge. Their mission required them to cut federal programs and ax workers, a drastic step that has drawn the ire of their former staffers.
As rumors of Doge’s dissolution circulated, many staffers at its headquarters began to “pack up their clothes and bedding,” signaling a lack of confidence in the program’s continuity. Former officials voiced fear over possible criminal liability in relation to the extreme action they imposed during Doge’s short life.
In March, Amy Gleason began a new stint as a special adviser to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Prior to that she was the acting administrator of Doge. This transition had the effect of accelerating a feeling of concern about the path forward and the future of the effort. Zachary Terrell, then a senior partner at Doge, was appointed chief technology officer for the Department of Health. Concurrently, Rachel Riley took on the role of chief of the Office of Naval Research.
Doge tells a compelling story about having saved billions of dollars, but experts are unable to corroborate these claims. The answer lies in the absence of public-facing accounting. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) now carries out most of Doge’s former tasks. This federal agency oversees the federal government’s human resources office.
Elon Musk’s departure from Washington in May further fueled speculation regarding Doge’s status. Previously, Musk had stated, “We are actually trying to be as transparent as possible,” and emphasized the organization’s transparency: “I don’t know of a case where an organization has been more transparent than the Doge organization.” Skepticism remained among former employees.
Comments from a former Doge official reflected this skepticism: “Now, if somebody from Doge, or representing themselves from Doge, asked me to do something, I wouldn’t just blindly do it.” This feeling captures the hesitation that shadowed the initiative as it came under increasing fire.
Joe Gebbia, the co-founder of Airbnb, was tapped by Trump to save government’s confusing websites. This latest move is just the first step in Doge’s broader reform agenda. With Trump’s references to Doge now presented in past tense, the full implications of the initiative’s early disbandment remain to be seen.