U.S. President Donald Trump initiated the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) with a goal of cutting the federal budget, and it continues to operate even after the departure of CEO Elon Musk of Tesla. While its visible influence has decreased compared to the past, it is still reported that budget reduction efforts are actively underway in various departments.
According to Bloomberg News on the 28th (local time), DOGE continues to pursue budget cuts even after Musk's resignation. Initially, there were concerns that its functions would be paralyzed due to his absence, as DOGE was established to criticize the inefficiencies of the federal government and assist President Trump in enhancing government efficiency; however, it is reported that the organization is functioning in a more systematic manner.
Currently, the official head of DOGE is Amy Gleeson, who is a former executive of a healthcare investment firm, but it is said that Russell Bout, the Director General of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), holds the practical leadership for budget cuts and restructuring efforts. Director General Bout denied the reports at a breakfast event on the 17th, stating, "Rumors that I'm in charge of DOGE are fake news," but he is leading the institutionalization of DOGE as the architect of Trump's second-term national governance strategy, Project 2025.
He also noted at a House hearing in June that "DOGE personnel will operate like in-house consultants within each department."
Earlier, DOGE was launched in January during the early days of President Trump's administration, having renamed the existing U.S. Digital Service (USDS) to the United States DOGE Service. It was planned as an organization reporting to the White House Chief of Staff and initially deployed teams of four or more to at least 15 federal agencies.
Although it is a temporary organization scheduled to operate until July 4, 2026, it has had a substantial impact, leading to the firing and retirement of about 260,000 federal employees thus far. In particular, certain organizations like the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) have had their functions completely halted under DOGE's command.
According to Bloomberg, key figures once considered close to Musk within DOGE have recently secured influential positions within the government. Aram Mogadish, an engineer from a company owned by Musk, has been appointed Chief Information Officer (CIO) of the Social Security Administration, while Jeremy Lewin, who previously headed DOGE at the State Department and USAID, is in charge of an annual overseas aid budget of $50 billion.
President Trump is also observed to be actively supporting DOGE's work. He has previously requested $45 million in the fiscal year 2026 budget for DOGE-related expenditures, and as a result, the workforce of DOGE is to expand from the current 89 to 150.
However, it appears that the initial goal of cutting $2 trillion within 130 days of DOGE's establishment has not been realized. DOGE has currently lowered its target cut budget from $2 trillion to $150 billion and announced through its own disclosure in June that it saved approximately $199 billion through layoffs and departmental restructuring.
Nonetheless, there are concerns in the political community that the actual savings could be much lower. The research organization Partnership for Public Service has warned that due to the large-scale layoffs, furloughs, and declines in administrative productivity led by DOGE, the burden on taxpayers could increase by approximately $135 billion by the fiscal year 2025.