U.S. President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has quietly disbanded, with eight months remaining until its scheduled end in July 2026. Launched amid high expectations as a key promise to trim the federal government, the initiative has drawn criticism for yielding few verifiable savings.
“That doesn’t exist,” Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Director Scott Kupor said earlier this month when asked about DOGE’s current status. He added that it is no longer a centralized entity, marking the first public acknowledgment from the Trump administration of the agency’s end.
Early Actions and High Hopes Fade
Established in January, DOGE burst onto the scene in the opening months of Trump’s second term. It pushed aggressively to downsize federal agencies, slash budgets and shift resources toward the president’s priorities. The OPM, the government’s human resources arm, has since absorbed many of these responsibilities, according to Kupor and reviewed documents.
Former DOGE staff have scattered to new roles. At least two key figures now work with the National Design Studio, a fresh initiative from an August executive order by Trump. Led by Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia, the studio focuses on enhancing the look of government websites. Gebbia served on Elon Musk’s DOGE team, while another member, Edward Coristine—known online as “Big Balls”—urged followers on X to join the effort.
This quiet dissolution stands in stark contrast to DOGE’s earlier spotlight. Trump, his advisers and cabinet members hyped it heavily on social media. Musk, who initially headed the unit, frequently promoted its progress on X and even wielded a chainsaw at the Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor, Maryland, in February.
“This is the chainsaw for bureaucracy,” Musk declared, raising the tool high.
Unverified Claims and Shifting Focus
DOGE boasted cuts of tens of billions in spending, but independent experts could not confirm these figures due to a lack of detailed public records. “President Trump was given a clear mandate to reduce waste, fraud and abuse across the federal government, and he continues to actively deliver on that commitment,” White House spokeswoman Liz Huston said in an email.
Administration officials avoided direct confirmation of DOGE’s closure, even after Musk’s public spat with Trump in May, which prompted Musk to leave Washington. Yet signals of its wind-down emerged over the summer. Trump has referred to it in the past tense during press interactions, despite his earlier executive order setting a 2026 deadline.
Acting DOGE Administrator Amy Gleason, with a background in health care technology, shifted to an advisory role under Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy in March, per court documents. Her recent comments have centered on that position. Meanwhile, Republican-led states like Idaho and Florida are launching their own DOGE-inspired local units.
The government-wide hiring freeze that defined DOGE has also lifted, Kupor confirmed. Trump imposed it on his first day, halting new federal hires except for essential immigration enforcement and public safety roles. DOGE had to vet other exceptions, with a rule to hire no more than one worker for every four who left. “There is no target around reductions anymore,” Kupor noted.
Staff Repurposed, Reforms Press On
DOGE personnel have found new homes across the administration. Gebbia leads efforts to polish government websites, including launches for recruiting Washington, D.C., law enforcement and promoting Trump’s drug pricing plans. He declined an interview through a spokesperson.
Zachary Terrell, who accessed health systems early in the term, now serves as chief technology officer at Health and Human Services. Rachel Riley, with similar access per court records, heads the Office of Naval Research. Jeremy Lewin, involved in dismantling the U.S. Agency for International Development, now manages foreign assistance at the State Department.
Musk, post-election, vowed to “delete the mountain” of regulations and pushed AI-driven government overhauls alongside job cuts. Those goals linger. The White House budget office has assigned former DOGE representative Scott Langmack at Housing and Urban Development to build AI tools for sifting through regulations and spotting cuts, based on his LinkedIn profile.
Musk has resurfaced in Washington lately, attending a White House dinner this week for Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
