The US Doge Service, recently renamed from the US Digital Service, is at the center of a controversy over its latest job posting practices. Established within the executive office of the president through an executive order by Donald Trump, this advisory body has drawn criticism after Elon Musk promoted its page on X, the social network he owns. The page's vague request for job applications has been criticized for allegedly violating federal laws governing job postings. Prominent union leader Steve Lenkart has been vocal about the issue, while the White House has yet to respond to requests for comment.
The controversy stems from the Doge page's call for "world-class talent to work long hours identifying/eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse." However, the job posting lacks specific details about job requirements, salary, or benefits. Critics like Lenkart argue that such postings do not comply with federal regulations, which require transparency in job advertisements.
“This is an application to apply for a corrupt organization to do corrupt things,” said Steve Lenkart, executive director of the National Federation of Federal Employees.
Lenkart, who served as the executive director of the US Merit Systems Protection Board under the Obama administration, has also questioned the sincerity of Doge's claims about addressing government inefficiencies. He has accused the service of using its platform to push agendas that are not aligned with its stated goals.
“Doge is just an excuse,” Lenkart remarked. “It has nothing to do with government efficiency, or all the things they claim.”
The federal workforce has remained relatively constant over decades, with approximately 2 million workers in the executive branch from 1952 to 2024. Despite these stable numbers, non-defense discretionary spending by the federal government hit a record low of 3.1% of GDP in 2019. Lenkart argues that billionaires like Musk are not genuinely concerned about government efficiency or taxpayer dollars.
“Most of these billionaires don’t even pay taxes, so they’re not really worried about your or my tax dollars, and how efficient they are,” Lenkart asserted.
The lack of detailed information in the Doge page's job posting raises questions about its legality under federal law. Critics suggest that it could be used to unlawfully grant or deny employment opportunities.
“This is definitely against federal law if they’re using it as a way to actually give someone a job or deny someone a job. It’s absolutely illegal,” Lenkart emphasized.
Elon Musk's frequent visits to the White House since Trump's return last week have also fueled speculation about his influence on government operations. Meanwhile, Lenkart remains skeptical of the Doge Service's intentions and its potential impact on regulatory oversight.
“They’re just trying to get law enforcement and regulators out of the way,” Lenkart commented.