Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE, has been formally shut down after its contract was terminated eight months early. The unit, launched by Trump and Musk to target wasteful federal spending, had already been operating in a reduced capacity since the Tesla billionaire's departure from the White House in April.
Musk left the administration after a dramatic clash with the president, which culminated in him publicly accusing Mr Trump of appearing in "the Epstein files". DOGE, staffed in part by teenagers with access to sensitive information, initially continued working behind the scenes but has now been dissolved as a central body, according to the Office of Personnel Management.
Federal human resources office
OPM director Scott Kupor said DOGE's former staff have been reassigned across the administration, with many of its functions absorbed into the federal human resources office. Despite the early shutdown, the White House maintains that Trump remains committed to reducing waste, fraud and abuse across government.
The group had previously claimed to have cut tens of billions in federal expenditures, though experts questioned the figures due to a lack of public accounting. Notably, former DOGE member and Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia now leads efforts to redesign federal websites, including portals for law enforcement recruitment and drug pricing initiatives.
DOGE's model has since inspired similar initiatives abroad. In the United Kingdom, Reform leader Nigel Farage has promoted his own version of the unit, claiming significant savings in local councils and the repair of more than 100,000 potholes.