Elon Musk may be stepping away from his government advisory role, but the sweeping influence of his brainchild — the DOGE—is far from over.
Elon Musk may be stepping away from his government advisory role, but the sweeping influence of his brainchild — the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—is far from over, according to a report published by CNN on Saturday. In just four months, DOGE has reportedly upended Washington, slashing federal jobs, embedding tech loyalists across agencies, and igniting fierce political and legal battles.
What is DOGE?
The Department of Government Efficiency, launched under President Donald Trump and driven by Elon Musk’s Silicon Valley ethos to “move fast and break stuff,” was created to reduce what Musk and Trump viewed as government waste, fraud and inefficiency. It began as a loosely defined initiative with a hybrid structure — staffed by temporary hires, contractors, and some permanent federal appointees — with a mission to modernise legacy systems and streamline government operations.
What Has DOGE Done So Far?
Personnel Changes: Over 121,000 federal employees were laid off or targetted for layoffs in Trump’s first 100 days, with DOGE at the helm of these moves, CNN reported. Thousands more accepted buyouts.
Agency Embedding: DOGE staffers, many of whom are Musk loyalists or ex-employees from Tesla, SpaceX and The Boring Company, now hold influential roles across almost every federal agency, the report said.
Tech Overhauls: DOGE has reportedly pushed digital modernisation efforts, like building a unified master database of personal data for immigration enforcement and fraud detection.
Privacy Concerns: Lawsuits have emerged over DOGE’s reported access to sensitive data, and federal courts have temporarily blocked parts of its work, particularly at the Social Security Administration (SSA).
As Justice Department attorney Bradley Humphreys said in court, DOGE’s mission “is somewhat pervasive, and it’s hard for us to clearly define.”
What Happens Now That Musk Is Stepping Back?
Despite Musk’s reduced involvement — he told investors he’ll now devote just one to two days a week to government work — his influence remains deeply entrenched. “There are so many of Elon’s people in already and they are not leaving, so the chaos will continue and nothing will change,” one General Services Administration employee told CNN.
A senior agency official echoed this sentiment, reportedly saying, “The shock and awe blast he unleashed was a necessity on the front end… It’s no longer about authority and access — it’s about action.”
DOGE has become institutionalised, at least for now. “The momentum is there,” Rep. Aaron Bean (R-Fla.), co-chair of the House DOGE caucus, said, according to CNN. “He’s been the rocket that has lifted DOGE into orbit.”
What’s the Democratic Response?
Sen. Elizabeth Warren calls Musk Trump’s “co-president.” House Democrats even introduced legislation titled Stop the Steal to block DOGE from gaining unauthorised access to federal payment systems.
Sydney Register, press secretary for the Progressive Change Institute, explained the strategy, telling CNN, “We really tried to make Musk the enemy… But beyond that, we needed to reflect the very real havoc his fake efficiency work is wreaking on people’s daily lives.”
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also believes that “Elon isn’t going anywhere.” “He’s just trying to skirt… public disclosures”, she told CNN.
The Social Security Administration offers a telling example of DOGE’s potential reach. According to the CNN report that cited court documents:
11 DOGE staffers are embedded at SSA.
High-ranking positions are now filled by Musk allies, including former hedge funder Scott Coulter and Musk associate Antonio Gracias.
Three controversial projects are underway: the “Are You Alive?” project, the “Death Data Clean Up” initiative, and the “Fraud Detection Project.”
SSA employees say the DOGE team operates with secrecy and minimal collaboration. “They go about the work—they do stuff and then inform us later or we find out by the news,” one Education Department staffer told the publication.
What’s Next?
Reports suggest the DOGE’s impact is set to expand, with the agencies having submitted “Phase 2” plans to the Office of Management and Budget outlining further reductions in force and reorganisation strategies, targetting completion by September 30. The Trump administration has petitioned the Supreme Court to lift judicial blocks currently hindering DOGE’s access to private data systems.
“The public understands exactly what Elon Musk was attempting to do on behalf of his boss, Donald Trump… whether Elon Musk is the puppet master behind it or not,” CNN quoted Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.) as saying.
White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt confirmed the administration’s commitment to DOGE: “The mission of DOGE — to cut waste, fraud and abuse — will surely continue.”
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