Elon Musk’s Doge, a group spearheaded by the tech mogul, aims to overhaul government efficiency in the United States. Operating largely out of the public eye, Doge has garnered both attention and criticism for its methods and affiliations. The group employs a cadre of young engineers, many fresh from college or high school, with limited professional experience. Several members of Doge have transitioned from Musk’s private ventures, such as the Boring Company, Tesla, and xAI, enhancing the group’s tech-driven approach.
Critics have raised concerns about Doge's lack of transparency and its potential influence over federal institutions. Government watchdogs have condemned the group's opaque operations and their collaboration with Trump hardliners to exert control over government agencies. The group reportedly possesses unprecedented access to crucial computer systems within the treasury department, General Services Administration (GSA), and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). This access includes direct "write access" to treasury department payment systems, raising alarms among federal worker unions.
Doge's head of Human Resources is an employment attorney known for advocating a "non-woke" alternative to traditional diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. This stance, coupled with allegations of promoting far-right ideologies, has sparked further controversy. Some Doge staffers have faced backlash for making racist and eugenicist remarks on social media platforms.
The group's spokesperson, Katie Miller, who is married to Stephen Miller, the deputy White House chief of staff, has defended Doge's mission. Despite this, a lawsuit filed by federal worker unions alleges that Doge members have concealed their identities to evade media scrutiny.
“They work, actually, out of the White House,” – Donald Trump
The involvement of Doge in government activities extends to former USAID employees like Thomas Shedd, who advocates for integrating artificial intelligence into government systems to automate services and write software. This vision has been met with skepticism by some insiders who question the feasibility and implications of such initiatives.
“These people are clueless, given how smart they’re supposed to be,” – USAid employee
“They’re under the impression that if you just say [to do something], then it will magically happen.” – USAid employee
Doge's operational secrecy has prompted calls for greater oversight and regulation. Critics argue that the federal government should not obscure the identities of senior officials instrumental in shaping policies that impact the public.
“It’s inappropriate for the federal government to purposely hide the identities of senior officials who are shaping the policies and servicing the public,” – Scott Amey
“These officials must be held accountable for their work, both by their colleagues and the public. It’s also crucial that these officials abide by ethics and transparency requirements to assure the public they are serving in the best interest of our communities.” – Scott Amey
Elez, a former social media account holder linked to Doge, has been implicated in controversial statements, including advocating for repealing the Civil Rights Act.
“you could not pay me to marry outside my ethnicity” – Elez (from a now-deleted social media account)
“called for repealing the Civil Rights Act” – Elez (from a now-deleted social media account)