Elon Musk has led a bold new federal agency under Donald Trump’s directive with the mission to bulldoze bureaucratic bloat and digitize dysfunctional systems.
At a Glance
- Trump establishes the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to modernize federal operations
- Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy were tapped to lead the agency’s red-tape-cutting crusade
- DOGE focuses on reforming outdated systems, not downsizing the workforce
- Early successes include IRS fixes and efforts to digitize federal retirement
- Critics question the ethics and efficacy of DOGE’s access and influence
Musk and Ramaswamy Join Forces
President Donald Trump launched the Department of Government Efficiency—DOGE—with the goal of overhauling bloated federal systems and restoring trust in public service operations. Leading the charge were billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk and political commentator-turned-candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, who have pledged to untangle bureaucratic messes and streamline how Americans interact with their government.
Watch CBS News’ deep dive on Trump’s launch of DOGE and Elon Musk’s new role.
From Clunky Websites to Paperless Pensions
DOGE is already publicizing success stories. In one case, the team reportedly worked with an IRS engineer to fix a misaligned login button on the agency’s website—a task that was estimated to take 100 days but was completed in under an hour. According to Townhall, this minor but symbolic victory underscores DOGE’s commitment to fast fixes over bureaucracy.
DOGE also aims to digitize the archaic, paper-heavy federal retirement process. As The Conversation explains, the department’s emphasis isn’t on axing public servants but empowering them to operate more efficiently within a reformed digital structure.
Cutting Contracts and Cleaning House
DOGE’s internal audits have uncovered billions in questionable expenditures. For example, the agency reported that the Social Security Administration listed nearly 7 million active number holders who are over 120 years old, prompting a database purge. Similarly, NASA canceled $420 million in outdated contracts, including $45 million earmarked for “Change Management Support Services.”
The Department of Education terminated $33 million in grants to four “Equity Assistance Centers” after questioning their alignment with core education goals. According to DOGE’s official site, these decisions are part of a broader initiative to ensure that every taxpayer dollar serves a clear and measurable public interest.
Pushback from Critics and Agencies
However, not everyone is on board. Former officials and watchdogs have voiced concerns about DOGE’s rapid data access. As Reuters reports, some worry the department’s embedded staff at the Federal Trade Commission could misuse sensitive corporate or personal information.
Meanwhile, lawmakers are calling out inconsistencies. Rep. Jasmine Crockett blasted the administration for spending an estimated $30 million on presidential golf trips, questioning how that squares with DOGE’s mission. “You say government needs to save money, but you’re billing taxpayers to hit the links,” she said, according to People.
Can DOGE Survive the Political Heat?
Whether DOGE’s efforts will deliver lasting change or fizzle into another flashy experiment remains to be seen. But the early indicators show a mix of tech-fueled success and political turbulence. As experts noted in The Hill, reforms only stick when they’re bipartisan, transparent, and rooted in a respect for public service.
“Talk of thinning out the ranks of ‘bureaucrats’ could be more acceptable in the eyes of the American public than laying off dedicated ‘government workers’ or ‘public servants’,” wrote W. Dominika Wranik and colleagues in their analysis.
As DOGE rolls forward, the agency’s legacy may hinge on its ability to cut through dysfunction without alienating the very people tasked with keeping the government running.
