Decoding The DOGE Dilemma
Among the various institutional shakeups since President Donald Trump’s inauguration, the creation of DOGE (Department of Governmental Efficiency) has resulted in utmost confusion and chaos. Spearheaded by billionaire Elon Musk, DOGE aims to “modernize federal technology and software to maximize governmental efficiency and productivity.” However, its ambiguous purview and erratic demands have turned it into a considerable pain point for the Trump administration.
Named after the 2013 meme, DOGE began to take shape even before the presidential election. After embracing Trumpism following Trump’s assassination attempt last July, Musk offered to lend his expertise to “look into federal spending.”
Cutting excessive spending has been a cornerstone issue for Republicans and fiscal conservatives. Last year, congressional watchdog, Government Accountability Office (GAO) submitted a report highlighting bureaucratic wastage. Citing the report, Trump and Musk argue this “bureaucratic bloat” will be diverted to help the American people. When pressed on X, Musk backed the idea of “DOGE checks” to offer taxpayers much-needed relief.
According to Musk, DOGE will cut $2 trillion in federal spending by July 2026, after which the department will dissolve. To achieve the goal, DOGE intends to reduce “federal bureaucracy” by “reducing waste, abolishing redundant agencies, and downsizing the federal workforce.”
DOGE’s purge began with cutting back on “unawarded contracts and leases” that were superfluous and unviable. The first casualty was the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), an agency providing humanitarian aid and international support. In a move repeatedly touted by the administration, millions of dollars were “paused” from USAID, leading to the agency’s uncertain future. Similarly, DOGE cut millions in “waste” from the Department of Education (DOE). The move denounced by many in academia, fear cuts could result in long-term ramifications with subsidies such as FAFSA and Pell grants
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Long Road Ahead For DOGE
Despite DOGE’s ambitious plans and innocuous intentions, the department has received widespread criticism. Detractors have questioned Musk’s unanointed role, arguing that his business contracts could be a conflict of interest. Musk’s mass email asking employees to reply with “5 bullets of what you accomplished last week” likewise resulted in wholesale commotion. Ultimately, 1 million employees responded to the email, while few agencies directed their employees to ignore the request. On Tuesday, February 25, 2025, twenty-one federal employees resigned from the positions. As a result, DOGE has been in the center of multiple lawsuits with several expected to follow.
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