Department of Government Efficiency

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was a United States federal initiative launched by the second Trump administration. It was first suggested to Donald Trump by Elon Musk in 2024, established by an executive order on January 20, 2025, and ceased operation on July 4, 2026 as scheduled. Its stated objective was to modernize information technology and maximize productivity within the federal government. Members of DOGE filled influential roles within several federal agencies, where they obtained administrative access to information systems used in procurement and personnel management, terminated certain government contracts, and facilitated mass layoffs and staff reductions. DOGE personnel also assisted with immigration enforcement. Reports indicated that DOGE accessed and copied public and classified data from government databases to private servers as part of its operational activities, prompting scrutiny regarding data handling and oversight.