DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency)

Extracted Attributes

• Type

  Federal initiative/organization

• Acronym

  DOGE

• Official Name

  Department of Government Efficiency

• Disclosure Status

  Exempted from disclosure by Supreme Court

• Stated Objective 1

  Modernize federal information technology

• Stated Objective 2

  Maximize productivity

• Stated Objective 3

  Cut excess regulations and spending

• Stated Objective 4

  Eliminate bureaucratic waste

• Stated Objective 5

  Streamline outdated systems

• Stated Objective 6

  Improve how agencies serve the public

• Current Designation

  United States DOGE Service Temporary Organization

• Administering Authority

  Second Trump administration

• Transparency Claim (Musk)

  Transparent

• Focus Areas (beyond IT/HR)

  Procurement, real property, substantive agency operations

• Predecessor/Reorganized Entity

  U.S. Digital Service (USDS)

• Claimed Savings (as of 2025-08-14)

  $205 billion

• Estimated Revenue Loss (IRS prediction)

  More than $500 billion

• Estimated Cost (other government entities)

  $21.7 billion

• Estimated Cost to Taxpayers (independent analysis)

  $135 billion

• Estimated Deaths from Foreign Aid Cuts (as of 2025-05-30)

  300,000 (mostly children)

Timeline

• Elon Musk suggests the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to Donald Trump. (Source: Wikipedia)

  2024

• DOGE officially established by an executive order from the second Trump administration, reorganizing the U.S. Digital Service. (Source: Wikipedia, web_search_results)

  2025-01-20

• Elon Musk announces plans to pivot away from DOGE. (Source: Wikipedia)

  2025-05

• Elon Musk leaves Washington, D.C., along with associates Steve Davis, Katie Miller, and James Burnham. An estimated 300,000 deaths, mostly children, linked to DOGE cuts to foreign aid programs. (Source: Wikipedia)

  2025-05-30

• Donald Trump and Elon Musk clash over the 'Big Beautiful Bill'. (Source: Wikipedia)

  2025-06-05

• DOGE claims to have saved $205 billion. (Source: Wikipedia)

  2025-08-14

• The United States DOGE Service Temporary Organization is scheduled to conclude. (Source: Wikipedia)

  2026-07-04

Department of Government Efficiency

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is an initiative by the second Trump administration in the United States. Its stated objective is to modernize information technology, maximize productivity, and cut excess regulations and spending within the federal government. It was first suggested to Donald Trump by Elon Musk in 2024, and was officially established by an executive order on January 20, 2025. Members of DOGE have filled influential roles at federal agencies that granted them enough control of information systems to terminate contracts from agencies targeted by Trump's executive orders, with small businesses bearing the brunt of the cuts. DOGE has facilitated mass layoffs and the dismantling of agencies and government funded organizations. It has also assisted with immigration crackdowns and copied sensitive data from government databases. DOGE's status is unclear. Formerly designated as the U.S. Digital Service, USDS now abbreviates United States DOGE Service and comprises the United States DOGE Service Temporary Organization, scheduled to end on July 4, 2026. Musk has said that DOGE is transparent, while the Supreme Court has exempted it from disclosure. DOGE's actions have been met with opposition and lawsuits. Some critics have warned of a constitutional crisis, while others have likened DOGE's actions to a coup. The White House has claimed lawfulness. The role Musk had with DOGE is also unclear. The White House asserted he was senior advisor to the president, denied he was making decisions, and named Amy Gleason as acting administrator. Trump insisted that Musk headed DOGE. A federal judge found him to be DOGE’s de facto leader, likely needing Senate confirmation under the Appointments Clause. In May 2025, Musk announced plans to pivot away from DOGE; he was working remotely around that time, after compelling federal employees' return to office. Musk left Washington on May 30, soon after his offboarding, along with lieutenant Steve Davis, top adviser Katie Miller, and general counsel James Burnham. Trump had maintained his support for Musk until they clashed on June 5 over the Big Beautiful Bill. His administration reiterated its pledge to the DOGE objective, and Russell Vought testified that DOGE was being "far more institutionalized". As of August 14, 2025, DOGE has claimed to have saved $205 billion, although other government entities have estimated it to have cost the government $21.7 billion. Another independent analysis estimated that DOGE cuts will cost taxpayers $135 billion; the Internal Revenue Service predicted more than $500 billion in revenue loss due to "DOGE-driven" cuts. Journalists found billions of dollars in miscounting. According to critics, DOGE redefined fraud to target federal employees and programs to build political support; budget experts said DOGE cuts were driven more by political ideology than frugality. Musk, DOGE, and the Trump administration have made multiple claims of having discovered significant fraud, many of which have not held up under scrutiny. As of May 30, 2025, according to one researcher's estimate, DOGE cuts to foreign aid programs have led to an 300,000 deaths, mostly of children.

Web Search Results

• What is the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)? - WalkMe

  What is the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)? # What is the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)? WalkMe Team The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is a federal initiative dedicated to modernizing how government works, making public services faster, simpler, and more cost-effective. Backed by a team of policy experts and technologists, DOGE focuses on eliminating bureaucratic waste, streamlining outdated systems, and improving how agencies serve the public. [...] As demands on government grow, DOGE is pushing for a more responsive, transparent, and accountable system—one that meets the needs of citizens without compromising on efficiency or oversight. ## What is the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)? DOGE is a federal department created to help government agencies work smarter. It partners with organizations across federal, state, and local levels to simplify operations, reduce waste, and speed up service delivery. [...] ## The road ahead for DOGE: A smarter, more transparent government The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is poised to reshape the federal government by leveraging innovation and technology to drive smarter, more transparent operations.

• Guide to The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) | TGG

  # Understanding DOGE: The Department of Government Efficiency The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) plays a pivotal role in improving the functioning of government agencies by ensuring better resource use, transparency, and accountability. Though not solely an accounting entity, DOGE’s work has significant implications for accounting practices in government sectors. This article will delve into: [...] So, what is the Department of Government Efficiency? It is a governmental initiative designed to optimize and streamline the operations of various government agencies. It focuses on improving processes, eliminating inefficiencies, and fostering accountability, with the goal of creating a more effective and transparent government. The department aims to provide better oversight, which directly impacts the way financial operations are handled within these agencies. [...] The efforts of the Department of Government Efficiency are meant to enhance government efficiency, which can significantly influence the accounting practices within government agencies. By promoting better financial management, transparency, and accountability, DOGE is helping to ensure that taxpayer money is spent wisely. The rise of fractional government roles in response to these efficiency efforts could offer agencies the flexibility and expertise they need to navigate complex challenges

• DOGE is not worth engaging. You cannot cut your way to a federal ...

  The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is the effort largely associated with Elon Musk. The stated goals are to reduce wasteful spending and eliminate unnecessary regulations. Unsurprisingly, the Trump administration and congressional Republicans are taking it seriously. More worryingly, there are good-faith proponents of improving the federal government’s capacity who seem willing to take it seriously.

• The efficiency equation: How DOGE is changing the citizen-state ...

  Yet today, the evolving relationship between citizens and their government has sparked innovative approaches to efficiency and accountability in public administration. The activities of the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), both at federal and state levels, represents a bold experiment in restructuring how government delivers services while managing taxpayer resources. [...] At the federal level, DOGE, although not an official government department, was established under the Executive Office of the President on January 20, by President Trump. It was created with the objective of enhancing efficiency within the federal government through the implementation of advanced technologies and modernization of operations. Its primary responsibilities encompass improving governmental processes and evaluating the possibilities for restructuring or consolidating federal [...] + - #### Efficiency & cost savings —DOGE aims to enhance the efficiency of federal government operations and achieve cost savings by identifying and addressing instances of waste, fraud, and abuse. - #### Modernization & technology — DOGE employs advanced technologies and software solutions to improve the operations of federal government agencies, which it says will help in auditing benefits and streamlining processes.

• Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Executive Order

  On January 20, 2025, President Donald Trump issued an executive order (E.O.) titled "Establishing and Implementing the President's 'Department of Government Efficiency'" (DOGE), which reorganized an entity in the Executive Office of the President (EOP), the U.S. Digital Service, as the U.S. DOGE Service, using the same acronym as its predecessor (USDS). The E.O. directs the reorganized USDS to "implement the President's DOGE Agenda, by modernizing Federal technology and software to maximize [...] The "Establishing and Implementing the President's 'Department of Government Efficiency'"E.O. reorganizes and renames the existing U.S. Digital Service (hereinafter "legacy USDS") as the U.S. DOGE Service (also abbreviated as USDS), to be led by a USDS administrator who reports to the White House chief of staff. The E.O. also establishes within USDS a temporary organization%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title5-section3161)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true) referred to as the U.S. DOGE [...] Unlike the November announcement, the E.O. appears to focus on agencies' IT and HR management. Subsequent press reports say that the DOGE effort involves obtaining access to Department of the Treasury payment systems that include information on millions of individuals and entities. The effort also appears to go beyond IT and HR initiatives to include areas such as procurement, real property, and substantive agency operations. Additional reports said DOGE teams accessed classified records.