President-elect Donald Trump has announced the creation of a new department, the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, which he says will help cut federal waste and make the government leaner.
Elon Musk to lead Department of Government Efficiency
Led by Elon Musk and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, the agency is tasked with conducting a comprehensive audit of federal spending with the aim of recommending sweeping reforms across all branches of government.
In a statement Tuesday, Trump said the Department of Government Efficiency will focus on reviewing government spending and identifying opportunities to streamline agency operations, which could lead to cuts in federal bureaucracy.
The agency's acronym, DOGE, is a humorous nod to the cryptocurrency Dogecoin, of which Musk is a known supporter. Musk, a vocal advocate for efficiency in public administration, is said to have pushed for the creation of a department specifically tasked with eliminating government waste.
DOGE Initiative Aims to Reform the Federation by 2026
Trump added that the DOGE-related research and recommendations are well-positioned to inform his administration’s approach to managing federal assets, even structural adjustments across various federal departments. The department’s mission will be to root out waste and excessive regulatory interference — though Trump has so far offered no details on specific cuts or reductions that would be made.
Preliminary work on the agency is expected to be completed by July 4, 2026, although funding and congressional creation of the department are still pending.
Through his role in a major defense contract with SpaceX, Musk has long been a close ally and friend of Trump. Musk has donated millions of dollars to help fund Trump’s 2024 campaign. He has been at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago compound in Florida since Election Night as the two men worked together to define the agency’s scope and mission.