<noinclude>{{Short description|none}}</noinclude> [[File:Eisenhower_Executive_Office_Building_26.jpg|thumb| DOGE affiliates worked at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2025-01-28 |title=Where will Elon Musk's DOGE team work? Not in the Oval Office, Trump says |url=https://www.business-standard.com/world-news/elon-musk-office-clarified-white-house-doge-mission-trump-2-0-125012801114_1.html |access-date=2025-03-07 |website=Business Standard}}</ref>]]
The '''network of the Department of Government Efficiency''' consists of affiliates and allies associated with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in the second presidency of Donald Trump. <!-- The following sentences are meant to orient readers across the various entries related to DOGE. It should not be transcluded in the main DOGE page.--><noinclude>DOGE personnel entered or joined various federal agencies<ref name="DOGE-2.0" /> with the stated purpose of modernizing information technology, maximizing productivity, and cutting excess regulations and spending within the federal government.<ref name="EO-14158">{{Cite web |date=January 29, 2025 |title=Establishing and Implementing the President's "Department of Government Efficiency" |url=https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/01/29/2025-02005/establishing-and-implementing-the-presidents-department-of-government-efficiency |access-date=June 19, 2025 |work=Federal Register}}</ref><ref name="what-to-know-DOGE">{{Cite web |last=Picchi |first=Aimee |date=November 14, 2024 |title=What to know about Trump's Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-department-of-government-efficiency-doge-elon-musk-ramaswamy/ |access-date=May 22, 2025 |website=CBS News |language=en-US |quote=Trump announced the DOGE in a statement on Tuesday, describing it as an effort to "slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies."}}</ref> They took control of information systems to facilitate mass layoffs. DOGE actions have met with various responses, including lawsuits.</noinclude>
Though the identities of DOGE personnel have not been officially disclosed, investigative journalists have reported that its staff included young programmers without government experience.<ref name="young-musk-takeover" /> Roughly 40 affiliates are tied to Musk; others come from Silicon Valley, the Trump administration, and the conservative legal movement.<ref name="compilation-Wired" /> In July 2025, ''ProPublica'' tracked down more than 100 DOGE staffers, of whom at least 23 made staffing cuts to agencies that regulated industries in which they had previously worked.<ref name="DOGE-100">{{Cite web |author1=William Turton|author2=Christopher Bing |author3=Avi Asher-Schapiro|author4=Al Shaw|author5=Jake Pearson|title=The DOGE 100: Musk Is Out, but More Than 100 of His Followers Remain to Implement Trump's Blueprint|work=ProPublica|access-date=2025-06-10|date=2025-06-10 |url=https://www.propublica.org/article/doge-elon-musk-trump-staffers-tracker-update}}</ref>
DOGE's structure has not been published. While Amy Gleason was named acting administrator<ref name="Kelly-20250218" /> and Steve Davis reportedly managed daily operations,<ref name="ProPublica-Musk-Gleason">{{Cite web |first1=Christopher |last1=Bing |first2=Avi |last2=Asher-Schapiro |first3=Annie |last3=Waldman |date=2025-03-14 |title=Who's Running the DOGE Wrecking Machine: The World's Richest Man or a Little-Known Bureaucrat? |url=https://www.propublica.org/article/doge-leadership-elon-musk-amy-gleason-trump-ethics-conflict-of-interest |access-date=2025-05-04 |website=ProPublica |language=en |archive-date=2025-05-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250503103309/https://www.propublica.org/article/doge-leadership-elon-musk-amy-gleason-trump-ethics-conflict-of-interest |url-status=live }}</ref> Trump said in February 2025 that Musk was "in charge" of it.<ref name="Trump-says-Musk-is-in-charge">{{cite news |last1=Shalal |first1=Andrea |last2=Bose |first2=Nandita |date=February 20, 2025 |title=Trump appears to contradict White House, says Elon Musk in charge of DOGE |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-appears-contradict-white-house-says-elon-musk-charge-doge-2025-02-20/ |access-date=20 February 2025 |work=Reuters}}</ref> In March 2025, a court declared Musk to be DOGE's ''de facto'' leader.<ref name="Musk-acted-unconstitutionally" /> Musk and his inner circle left DOGE at the end of May 2025.<ref name="Musk-bids-farewell">{{Cite news |last1=Hayes |first1=Christal |last2=Drenon |first2=Brandon |date=2025-05-29 |title=Elon Musk bids farewell to White House but says Doge will continue |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cz9y4exj822o |access-date=2025-07-03 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref> In November 2025, Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor told ''Reuters'' that DOGE had ceased to exist.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/doge-doesnt-exist-with-eight-months-left-its-charter-2025-11-23/|title=Exclusive: DOGE 'doesn't exist' with eight months left on its charter|website=Reuters|last=Rozen|first=Courtney|date=November 24, 2025}}</ref> In follow-up questions, he told ''Time'' that OPM and OMB would "institutionalize" the changes made by DOGE.
==Background==
===Trump transition===
On December 6, 2024, investigative journalists at ''The New York Times'' reported that several Silicon Valley billionaires tried to influence the Trump transition team toward deregulation of AI, crypto, and space industries. Those billionaires reportedly included Marc Andreessen, Jared Birchall, Michael Kratsios, and Shaun Maguire.<ref name="list-Silicon-Valley">{{Cite news| issn=0362-4331| first1=Theodore| last1=Schleifer| last2=Haberman| first2=Maggie| last3=Swan| first3=Jonathan| title=The Silicon Valley Billionaires Steering Trump's Transition| work=The New York Times| access-date=2025-08-29| date=2024-12-07| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/06/us/politics/trump-elon-musk-silicon-valley.html}}</ref> On January 12, the ''Times'' reported that "an unpaid group of billionaires, tech executives and some disciples of Peter Thiel, a powerful Republican donor" were "preparing to take up unofficial positions in the U.S. government in the name of cost-cutting". Those individuals reportedly included Baris Akis, James Fishback, Brad Smith, Matt Luby, Rachel Riley, Joanna Wischer, and Vinay Hiremath.<ref name="list-inside-plan">{{Cite news| issn=0362-4331| last1=Schleifer| first1=Theodore| last2=Ngo| first2=Madeleine| title=Inside Elon Musk's Plan for DOGE to Slash Government Costs| work=The New York Times| access-date=2025-08-29| date=2025-01-12| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/12/us/politics/elon-musk-doge-government-trump.html| archive-url=https://archive.today/20250112104622/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/12/us/politics/elon-musk-doge-government-trump.html| archive-date=2025-01-12}}</ref>
==="DOGE Kids"=== thumb|Luke Farritor is one of the several engineers aged 19–24 working for DOGE with little to no prior experience in government. On February 2, ''Wired'' revealed that DOGE hired six coders aged 19{{endash}}24 with no experience in government: Akash Bobba, Edward Coristine, Luke Farritor, Marko Elez, Gautier Killian, Gavin Kliger, and Ethan Shaotran.<ref name="young-musk-takeover">{{Cite magazine |last=Elliott |first=Vittoria |title=The Young, Inexperienced Engineers Aiding Elon Musk's Government Takeover |url=https://www.wired.com/story/elon-musk-government-young-engineers/ |access-date=2025-02-17 |magazine=Wired |language=en-US |issn=1059-1028 |archive-date=2025-02-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250202191023/https://www.wired.com/story/elon-musk-government-young-engineers/ |url-status=live }}</ref> They reportedly conducted video interviews with federal workers without identifying themselves, with queries such as "whom they would choose to fire from their teams if they had to pick one person",<ref name="nyt-young-aides-25">{{cite news |last1=Schleifer |first1=Theodore |last2=Nehamas |first2=Nicholas |last3=Conger |first3=Kate |last4=Mac |first4=Ryan |date=February 7, 2025 |title=Young Aides Emerge as Enforcers in Musk's Broadside Against Government |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/07/us/politics/musk-doge-aides.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250215070546/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/07/us/politics/musk-doge-aides.html |archive-date=February 15, 2025 |access-date=March 7, 2025 |work=The New York Times}}</ref> and surprise code reviews, silently supervised by "extremely young men".<ref name="wp-zs-25">{{cite news |last1=Zakrzewski |first1=Cat |last2=Siddiqui |first2=Faiz |date=2025-02-05 |title=How Elon Musk's deputies took over the government's most basic functions |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/02/05/elon-musk-federal-technology-takeover/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250206144811/https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/02/05/elon-musk-federal-technology-takeover/ |archive-date=February 6, 2025 |access-date=5 February 2025 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref> They have been called "Doge Kids" by officials, reporters, and social media users.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Leloup |first1=Damien |last2=Szadkowski |first2=Michaël |date=2025-02-07 |title=Who are Elon Musk's 'DOGE kids,' tasked with 'hacking' the US federal government? |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/en/pixels/article/2025/02/07/who-are-the-doge-kids-the-disciples-of-elon-musk-tasked-with-hacking-the-us-federal-government_6737883_13.html |access-date=2025-02-07 |work=Le Monde |archive-date=2025-02-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250212015707/https://www.lemonde.fr/en/pixels/article/2025/02/07/who-are-the-doge-kids-the-disciples-of-elon-musk-tasked-with-hacking-the-us-federal-government_6737883_13.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="the-president-wanted-it">{{Cite web |last=Hager |first=Eli |date=2025-03-12 |title="The President Wanted It and I Did It": Recording Reveals Head of Social Security's Thoughts on DOGE and Trump |url=https://www.propublica.org/article/recording-reveals-leland-dudek-thoughts-trump-doge-social-security |access-date=2025-03-12 |work=ProPublica |quote=[T]he full recording reveals that [Leland Dudek] went much further, citing not only the actions being taken at the agency by the people he repeatedly called "the DOGE kids"|archive-date=2025-03-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250326053247/https://www.propublica.org/article/recording-reveals-leland-dudek-thoughts-trump-doge-social-security |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="DOGE-at-USAID">{{Cite news| issn=0261-3077| last=Roth| first=Andrew| title=Doge v USAid: how Elon Musk helped his acolytes infiltrate world's biggest aid agency| work=The Guardian| access-date=2025-08-26| date=2025-02-05| url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/05/musk-doge-takeover-usaid|quote=USAid security personnel were defending a secure room holding sensitive and classified data in a standoff with [DOGE] employees when a message came directly from Elon Musk: give the Doge kids whatever they want.}}</ref>
Coristine has gone by the name "Big Balls" on the internet.<ref>{{Cite news| title=Trump administration staffer known as 'Big Balls' assaulted in DC| work=Politico| access-date=2025-08-22| url=https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/05/trump-administration-staffer-known-as-big-balls-assaulted-in-dc-00494990| archive-date=2025-08-28| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250828035106/https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/05/trump-administration-staffer-known-as-big-balls-assaulted-in-dc-00494990| url-status=live}}</ref> According to Brian Krebs, his past poses security risks:<ref name="Krebs-on-Coristine">{{cite web |last=Krebs |first=Brian |date=2025-02-07 |title=Teen on Musk's DOGE Team Graduated from 'The Com' |url=https://krebsonsecurity.com/2025/02/teen-on-musks-doge-team-graduated-from-the-com/ |access-date=2025-02-07 |website=Krebs on Security |quote=Experts say it is extremely difficult for former members of violent street gangs to gain a security clearance needed to view sensitive or classified information held by the U.S. government [...] The Com is the English-language cybercriminal hacking equivalent of a violent street gang. |archive-date=2025-02-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250211192855/https://krebsonsecurity.com/2025/02/teen-on-musks-doge-team-graduated-from-the-com/ |url-status=live }}</ref> the 19-year-old son of the LesserEvil owner<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Sauer |first1=Megan |last2=Shamo |first2=Lauren |date=2024-09-07 |title=52-year-old quit his job, bought a failing snack company for $250,000—now it brings in $103 million a year |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2024/09/07/lesserevil-ceo-why-i-left-wall-street-for-a-failing-snack-company.html |access-date=2025-02-11 |work=CNBC |archive-date=2025-02-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250212010450/https://www.cnbc.com/2024/09/07/lesserevil-ceo-why-i-left-wall-street-for-a-failing-snack-company.html |url-status=live }}</ref> leaked information from the company where he was interning,<ref name="bloomberg-law-lmabc-25">{{cite news |last1=Leopold |first1=Jason |last2=Murphy |first2=Margi |last3=Alexander |first3=Sophie |last4=Bleiberg |first4=Jake |last5=Cormier |first5=Anthony |date=7 February 2025 |title=DOGE Teen Was Fired by Cyber Firm for Leaking Company Secrets |url=https://news.bloomberglaw.com/ip-law/doge-teen-was-fired-by-cyber-firm-for-leaking-company-secrets |access-date=7 February 2025 |work=Bloomberg Law |archive-date=19 February 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250219104626/https://news.bloomberglaw.com/ip-law/doge-teen-was-fired-by-cyber-firm-for-leaking-company-secrets |url-status=live }}</ref> mingled with 'The Com', owned domains registered in Russia,<ref name="Wired-on-Coristine">{{Cite magazine |last=Greenberg |first=Andy |title=DOGE Teen Owns 'Tesla.Sexy LLC' and Worked at Startup That Has Hired Convicted Hackers |url=https://www.wired.com/story/edward-coristine-tesla-sexy-path-networks-doge/ |access-date=2025-03-23 |magazine=Wired |issn=1059-1028 |quote="Davi Ottenheimer, a longtime security operations and compliance manager, says many factors about Coristine's employment history and online footprint could raise questions about his ability to obtain security clearance." |archive-date=2025-03-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250324132544/https://www.wired.com/story/edward-coristine-tesla-sexy-path-networks-doge/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and provided tech support to another cybercrime group.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Satter |first1=Raphael |date=2025-03-26 |title=OGE staffer 'Big Balls' provided tech support to cybercrime ring, records show |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/doge-staffer-big-balls-provided-tech-support-cybercrime-ring-records-show-2025-03-26/ |access-date=2025-03-28 |work=Reuters |archive-date=2025-03-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250326115408/https://www.reuters.com/world/us/doge-staffer-big-balls-provided-tech-support-cybercrime-ring-records-show-2025-03-26/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Kliger credited Ron Unz for his political awakening,<ref name="Mother Jones Radicalized">{{cite web |last1=McShane |first1=Julianne |last2=Rosenberg |first2=Jacob |date=February 16, 2025 |title=DOGE Worker Says He Was Radicalized by Reading Writer Who Later Denied Holocaust |url=https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2025/02/doge-elon-musk-ron-unz-holocaust-substack-post-sailer-vdare-trump/ |access-date=16 February 2025 |website=Mother Jones }}</ref> reposting Nick Fuentes and Andrew Tate, along with supremacist memes.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Alper |first1=Alexandra |last2=Satter |first2=Raphael |title=Staffer with Elon Musk's DOGE amplified white supremacists online |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/staffer-with-elon-musks-doge-amplified-white-supremacists-online-2025-02-07/ |access-date=7 February 2025 |website=reuters.com |publisher=Reuters |archive-date=2025-03-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250309094041/https://www.reuters.com/world/us/staffer-with-elon-musks-doge-amplified-white-supremacists-online-2025-02-07/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Elez too has an edgelord past, with posts such as "You could not pay me to marry outside of my ethnicity" and "Normalize Indian hate."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Allyn |first=Bobby |date=2025-02-07 |title=Member of Elon Musk's DOGE team resigns after racist posts resurface |url=https://www.npr.org/2025/02/06/nx-s1-5289337/elon-musk-doge-treasury |access-date=2025-03-25 |work=NPR |archive-date=2025-02-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250207002354/https://www.npr.org/2025/02/06/nx-s1-5289337/elon-musk-doge-treasury |url-status=live }}</ref>
In February, Farritor and Kliger manually blocked payments for programs approved by Marco Rubio.<ref>{{Cite news |author=Bai |first=Matt |date=2025-02-24 |title=The blinding contempt of the DOGE bros |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/02/24/musk-doge-usaid-cuts-dc/ |access-date=2025-03-02 |newspaper=The Washington Post |archive-date=2025-02-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250227075011/https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/02/24/musk-doge-usaid-cuts-dc/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Emergency Humanitarian Waiver to Foreign Assistance Pause |url=https://www.state.gov/emergency-humanitarian-waiver-to-foreign-assistance-pause-2/ |access-date=2025-03-02 |work=United States Department of State |archive-date=2025-03-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250303122455/https://www.state.gov/emergency-humanitarian-waiver-to-foreign-assistance-pause-2/ |url-status=live }}</ref> According to Bloomberg, court documents filed by the Treasury on March 14 indicated that DOGE staffer Marko Elez violated Treasury policy by mishandling personal information. The filing went on to state the document was low-risk, but that Elez had violated policy due to not requesting approval and failing to use encryption.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Davis |first=Wes |date=2025-03-15 |title=A DOGE staffer broke Treasury policy by emailing unencrypted personal data |url=https://www.theverge.com/news/630894/doge-treasury-lawsuit-marko-elez-unencrypted-emails |access-date=2025-03-16 |work=The Verge}}</ref> In May, court filings alleged Kliger coerced Consumer Financial Protection Bureau staff into working a 36-hour shift.<ref name="DOGE-goon-accused">{{Cite web |date=2025-04-19 |title=DOGE Goon Accused of Screaming at Workers on 36-Hour Shift |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/doge-goon-accused-of-screaming-at-federal-workers-on-36-hour-shift/ |access-date=2025-04-19 |work=The Daily Beast}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Schwartz |first1=Leo |title=Court filings describe DOGE-led, scream-filled, 36-hour mass layoff scramble at consumer protection agency |url=https://fortune.com/article/consumer-financial-protection-bureau-doge-elon-musk-layoffs-rfi-court-filings-firings/ |website=fortune.com |publisher=Fortune |access-date=9 May 2025}}</ref>
===Doxing accusations===
On February 4, Musk accused those who circulated the names of the DOGE kids of doxing.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Musk Slammed for Claiming It's Unlawful to Publicly Identify DOGE Personnel |url=https://www.commondreams.org/news/doge-federal-workers |access-date=2025-03-02}}</ref> The next day, Ed Martin stated this violated the law.<ref name="wp-hm-doge-25">{{cite news |last1=Hsu |first1=Spencer S. |last2=Marley |first2=Patrick |date=2025-02-03 |title=U.S. attorney hints at prosecutions over 'targeting' of DOGE employees |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2025/02/03/martin-supports-for-musk-doge/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |archive-date=2025-07-03 |access-date=2025-05-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250703174627/https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2025/02/03/martin-supports-for-musk-doge/ |url-status=live }}</ref> According to New York Times reporter Ken Bensinger, Musk was attempting to describe traditional journalism as doxing in order to invalidate the role of the media in government accountability.<ref name="Bensinger-20250212">{{cite web |last1=Bensinger |first1=Ken |date=February 12, 2025 |title=How Elon Musk and the Right Are Trying to Recast Reporting as 'Doxxing' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/12/business/media/elon-musk-doxxing-marko-elez.html |access-date=16 February 2025 |work=The New York Times |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250214021542/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/12/business/media/elon-musk-doxxing-marko-elez.html| archive-date=2025-02-14}}</ref>
[[File:We_Choose_to_Fight-_Nobody_Elected_Elon_Protest_-_54307687491.jpg|thumb|The "We Choose to Fight: Nobody Elected Elon" protest, organized by MoveOn, was held at the Treasury on February{{nbsp}}4, 2025.]] thumb|Several US Congress members spoke against Musk's role in the government during the "We Choose to Fight: Nobody Elected Elon" protests.
===Names=== On February 4, ''Wired'' identified Rajpal at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.<ref name="DOGE-at-NOAA">{{Cite magazine| issn=1059-1028| last=Marchman| first=Tim| title=This DOGE Engineer Has Access to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration| magazine=Wired| access-date=2025-08-20| url=https://www.wired.com/story/doge-engineer-noaa-data-google-musk-climate-project-2025/| archive-date=2025-02-13| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250213200126/https://www.wired.com/story/doge-engineer-noaa-data-google-musk-climate-project-2025/| url-status=live}}</ref> The next day, ''The Guardian'' said Kliger, Farritor entered USAID with Jeremy Lewin and Pete Marocco.<ref name="DOGE-at-USAID" /> On February 7, ''NPR'' noted the opacity of the scope of DOGE's work and the identities of its members; it named four with senior roles: Ricardo Biasini, Tom Krause, Amanda Scales, and Thomas Shedd, all former employees of Musk's companies;<ref>{{Cite news| last=Bond| first=Shannon| title=Who is part of Elon Musk's DOGE, and what are they doing?| work=NPR| access-date=2025-08-25| date=2025-02-07| url=https://www.npr.org/2025/02/07/nx-s1-5288988/doge-elon-musk-staff-trump| archive-date=2025-08-04| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250804205001/https://www.npr.org/2025/02/07/nx-s1-5288988/doge-elon-musk-staff-trump| url-status=live}}</ref> ''CNN'' also said Farritor has been granted access to Department of Energy's information systems despite their chief information officer's objections,<ref>{{Cite web| first1=Ella| last1=Nilsen| first2=Sean| last2=Lyngaas| title=Trump energy secretary allowed 23-year-old DOGE rep to access IT systems over objections from general counsel| work=CNN| access-date=2025-08-20| date=2025-02-07| url=https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/06/climate/doge-energy-department-trump| archive-date=2025-08-26| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250826220711/https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/06/climate/doge-energy-department-trump/| url-status=live}}</ref> and Kliger, Rajpal, and Chris Young were reported by ''Wired'' at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau;<ref>{{Cite magazine| issn=1059-1028| last=Kelly| first=Makena| title=DOGE Is Now Inside the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau| magazine=Wired| access-date=2025-08-24| url=https://www.wired.com/story/doge-access-consumer-financial-protection-bureau-data/| archive-date=2025-07-26| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250726064823/https://www.wired.com/story/doge-access-consumer-financial-protection-bureau-data/| url-status=live}}</ref> later ''Bloomberg'' also revealed Lewin, Young, and Jordan Wick in that operation.
On February 7, ''ProPublica'' identified three Supreme Court clerks.<ref name="propublica-lawyers">{{cite web | url=https://www.propublica.org/article/elon-musk-doge-lawyers-supreme-court | title=These Are Some of the Lawyers Working for Elon Musk's DOGE | website=ProPublica | date=2025-02-07 | first1=Justin | last1=Elliott | first2=Avi| last2=Asher-Schapiro| first3=Andy | last3=Kroll | access-date= 2025-02-07}}</ref> On February 11, ''Business Insider'' listed more than 30 DOGE members, including four they had newly identified.<ref name="BI-squad">{{Cite web| date=2025-02-11| first1=Jack| last1=Newsham| first2=Katie| last2=Balevic| first3=Lakshmi| last3=Varanasi| first4=Kenneth| last4=Niemeyer| title=We got a DOGE staff list. From a McKinsey alum to a former Clarence Thomas clerk, here are the workers powering Elon Musk's cost-cutting squad.| work=Business Insider| access-date=2025-08-22| url=https://www.businessinsider.com/doge-staff-list-white-house-2025-2| archive-date=2025-08-04| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250804202622/https://www.businessinsider.com/doge-staff-list-white-house-2025-2| url-status=live}}</ref> ProPublica also disclosed new names: Jenn Balajada, Nicole Hollander, and Ryan Riedel.<ref name="staffers-helping-musk">{{Cite web| first1=Christopher| last1=Bing|first2=Annie| last2=Waldman| title=The Staffers Helping Elon Musk Dismantle and Downsize the U.S. Government, One Agency at a Time| work=ProPublica| access-date=2025-02-13| date=2025-02-11| url=https://www.propublica.org/article/elon-musk-doge-staffers-additional-names}}</ref> ''Wired'' revealed the next day that the new chief information officers of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the Office of personal Management (OPM), and the Department of Energy (DoE) were tied to Palantir or SpaceX.<ref>{{Cite magazine| last1=Kelly| first1=Makena| title=Former Palantir and Elon Musk Associates Are Taking Over Key Government IT Roles| magazine=Wired| publisher=Wired| access-date=2025-03-18| url=https://www.wired.com/story/elon-musk-palantir-chief-information-officers-government/| archive-date=2025-03-18| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250318021232/https://www.wired.com/story/elon-musk-palantir-chief-information-officers-government/| url-status=live}}</ref> ''The Washington Post'' published on the same day (February 7) that DOGE overtook 15 agencies with 30 DOGE operatives (staffers and allies); of the few it named, only Noah Peters and Alexandra Beynon were not known.<ref name="DOGE-swept-agencies">{{Cite news| issn=0190-8286| title=Elon Musk's DOGE has swept into 15 federal agencies. Here's what to know.| newspaper=The Washington Post| access-date=2025-08-30| date=2025-02-08| url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/02/08/elon-musk-doge-federal-agencies-cuts-employees/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250209162932/https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/02/08/elon-musk-doge-federal-agencies-cuts-employees/| archive-date=2025-02-09}}</ref>
On February 24, ''Wired'' identified Farritor, Lewin, Rachel Riley, and Clark Minor at the National Institute of Health.<ref>{{Cite magazine| issn=1059-1028| last=Reynolds| first=Matt| title=DOGE Is Inside the National Institutes of Health's Finance System| magazine=Wired| access-date=2025-03-18| url=https://www.wired.com/story/doge-is-inside-the-national-institutes-of-health-nih/| archive-date=2025-03-17| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250317195135/https://www.wired.com/story/doge-is-inside-the-national-institutes-of-health-nih/| url-status=live}}</ref> Days later, the ''New York Times'' said much of DOGE's "operations are opaque, and most of its personnel have not been disclosed by the Trump administration"; they tracked the roles DOGE members officially took, and the agencies to which they were delegated, and also mapped the ties that could explain why the members were hired.<ref name="compilation-NYT">{{Cite web| date=2025-02-28| title=Who Is in DOGE? Tracking Its Staffers and Allies in the Federal Government| url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/02/27/us/politics/doge-staff-list.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20250627182056/https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/02/27/us/politics/doge-staff-list.html| archive-date=2025-06-27| access-date=2025-08-30 |work=The New York Times}}</ref>
On March 9, ''WIRED'' followed suit, naming three affiliates tied to Palantir.<ref name="recruitment-doge-army">{{Cite magazine| issn=1059-1028| last=Elliott| first=Vittoria| title=The Recruitment Effort That Helped Build Elon Musk's DOGE Army| magazine=Wired| access-date=2025-03-09| url=https://www.wired.com/story/elon-musk-doge-recruiting-palantir/| archive-date=2025-03-09| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250309182251/https://www.wired.com/story/elon-musk-doge-recruiting-palantir/| url-status=live}}</ref> At the end of March, ''Politico'' listed names from DOGE's "legal army".<ref name="Politico-legal-army">{{Cite web| last1=Cai| first1=Sophia| last2=Johansen| first2=Ben| last3=Sentner| first3=Irie| title=DOGE assembles a legal army| work=Politico| access-date=2025-06-05| date=2025-03-26| url=https://www.politico.com/newsletters/west-wing-playbook-remaking-government/2025/03/26/doge-assembles-a-legal-army-00251903| archive-date=2025-06-01| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250601151854/https://www.politico.com/newsletters/west-wing-playbook-remaking-government/2025/03/26/doge-assembles-a-legal-army-00251903| url-status=live}}</ref> ''Wired'' mapped DOGE's corporate connections as known by the end of March.<ref name="compilation-Wired" /> Musk appeared at the end of the month on Fox News, along seven DOGE advisors, whom ''The Hill'' profiled.<ref name="Hill-Fox-News-list">{{Cite web| last=Shapero| first=Julia| title=Here's who's on Elon Musk's DOGE team: 7 names| work=The Hill| format=Text| access-date=2025-04-05| date=2025-03-28| url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5218847-meet-the-doge-team/| archive-date=2025-04-04| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250404070050/https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5218847-meet-the-doge-team/| url-status=live}}</ref>
===Transparency concerns===
While a spokesperson for DOGE stated "increasing its transparency was a goal of the White House", some details about its operations were not made public by the administration.<ref name="secrecy-defining-DOGE">{{Cite web| title=Secrecy is becoming a defining trait of Elon Musk's DOGE| work=NBC News| access-date=2025-09-03| date=2025-02-07| url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/secrecy-becoming-defining-characteristic-elon-musks-doge-rcna190966}}</ref> Some have criticized this, with David Ingram of NBC news describing it as an "opaque and changing organization".<ref>{{Cite news| title=DOGE has a new 'acting administrator,' but Elon Musk is still in charge| work=NBC News| access-date=2025-08-21| date=2025-02-25| url=https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/elon-musk/amy-gleason-named-acting-administrator-elon-musks-doge-rcna193613| quote=The structure of DOGE is unlike that of any previous office of the federal government, and it has been an opaque and changing organization from the beginning.| archive-date=2025-08-13| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250813101851/https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/elon-musk/amy-gleason-named-acting-administrator-elon-musks-doge-rcna193613| url-status=live}}</ref> USDS staffers reported that the DOGE team embedded isolated themselves from the other members of the agency.<ref>{{Cite magazine |first=Makena |last=Kelly |date=2025-02-07 |title=DOGE Builds "Firewall" Between Musk's Team and Legacy USDS Workers |magazine=Wired | url=https://www.wired.com/story/musk-doge-firewall-usds-workers/ | access-date=15 August 2025}}</ref> CNN sent Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests in February for security clearance records of DOGE members who were granted access to sensitive or classified government data; the response, from an OPM email address, was: "Good luck with that they just got rid of the entire privacy team". Sources told CNN that employees from the communications staff and those who handle FOIA requests were also dismissed.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Cohen |first1=Zachary |last2=Treene |first2=Alayna |last3=Gold |first3=Hadas |date=2025-02-18 |title='Good luck with that.' Trump administration terminates privacy officials at agency overseeing government hiring and firing |url=https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/18/politics/opm-privacy-team-fired/index.html |access-date=2025-02-24 |work=CNN |archive-date=2025-02-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250222140800/https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/18/politics/opm-privacy-team-fired/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref>{{static-row-numbers}}
Administration officials have contested DOGE membership in internal communications, in public, and in courts.<ref name="who-is-DOGE">{{Cite magazine| issn=1059-1028| last=Schiffer| first=Zoë| title='Who Is Doge?' Has Become a Metaphysical Question| magazine=Wired| access-date=2025-04-24| url=https://www.wired.com/story/elon-musk-doge-mystery-general-services-administration/| archive-date=2025-04-24| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250424173048/https://www.wired.com/story/elon-musk-doge-mystery-general-services-administration/| url-status=live}}</ref> Amy Gleason argued in group chat she had no control over DOGE members hired by other agencies, nor any responsibility regarding their actions, including firings.<ref name="DOGE-denies-responsibility">{{cite news |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/doge-amy-gleason-group-c-20258581.php |first=Shira |last=Stein |date=April 8, 2025 |work=San Francisco Chronicle |title=DOGE head denies responsibility for mass firings in private group chat message |quote="I currently serve as acting administrator of the U.S. Doge Service (formerly U.S. Digital Service). That's separate from (1) the embedded agency Doge teams — who are hired directly into each agency — and (2) the broader Doge policy agenda that Elon Musk advises the President on"}}</ref> General Services Administration (GSA) administrator and DOGE affiliate Stephen Ehikian stated "there is no DOGE team at GSA"<ref>{{cite news |last=Heckman |first=Jory |date=2025-03-20 |title=Hiring freeze to extend 'at least' through 2025, GSA tells employees |url=https://federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/2025/03/gsa-says-agencies-freeze-200000-credit-cards-governmentwide/ |access-date=2025-03-23 |website=federalnewsnetwork.com |language=en-US |archive-date=2025-03-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250322223934/https://federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/2025/03/gsa-says-agencies-freeze-200000-credit-cards-governmentwide/ |url-status=live }}</ref> even though DOGE leadership occupied the sixth floor at GSA protected by security, with IKEA bedroom furniture, a child's play area and washing appliances.<ref>{{Cite web| title=IKEA beds? Dressers? Inside the 'exceedingly odd' DOGE office setup| work=POLITICO| access-date=2025-09-02| date=2025-03-06| url=https://www.politico.com/news/2025/03/06/doge-federal-office-bedrooms-00216863| archive-date=2025-08-24| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250824120305/https://www.politico.com/news/2025/03/06/doge-federal-office-bedrooms-00216863| url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine| issn=1059-1028| last=Schiffer| first=Zoë| title=Photos: Here Are the Piles of Used Bedding and Children's Play Sets Left Near DOGE's Old Offices| magazine=Wired| access-date=2025-09-02| url=https://www.wired.com/story/photos-bedding-childrens-play-sets-doge-old-offices/| archive-date=2025-09-01| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250901102143/https://www.wired.com/story/photos-bedding-childrens-play-sets-doge-old-offices/| url-status=live}}</ref> In a legal case involving the Department of Labor, DOGE lawyers objected to the plaintiffs' meanings of "DOGE employee", "sensitive systems", "access", "records", and "authority", which they deemed "vague and ambiguous"; they restricted the concept of DOGE employee to "individuals who have a formal relationship" with the US DOGE Service.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Fowler |first1=Stephen |last2=McLaughlin |first2=Jenna |date=March 31, 2025 |title=DOGE staffer who shared Treasury data now has more access to government systems |url=https://www.npr.org/2025/03/31/nx-s1-5345708/doge-data-access-labor-cfpb-hhs |access-date=April 1, 2025 |website=NPR |archive-date=April 1, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250401001929/https://www.npr.org/2025/03/31/nx-s1-5345708/doge-data-access-labor-cfpb-hhs |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=March 30, 2025 |title=AFLCIO v Labor DOGE Employee Access Exhibit |url=https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25873564-aflcio-v-labor-doge-employee-access-exhibit/ |access-date=April 1, 2025 |website=DocumentCloud |publisher=United States District Court for the District of Columbia |archive-date=April 1, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250401001911/https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25873564-aflcio-v-labor-doge-employee-access-exhibit/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In a court case involving the "Fork in the road" mass email, DOGE member Jacob Altik has been presented as an OPM lawyer when trying to shut down the African Development Foundation along with other DOGE members.<ref name="DOGE-lawyer-OPM">{{Cite web| last=Mitchell| first=Billy| title=Lawyer linked to DOGE is defending OPM mass email system lawsuit| work=FedScoop| access-date=2025-04-03| date=2025-03-17| url=https://fedscoop.com/doge-lawyer-opm-email-lawsuit-jacob-altik/| quote=Kel McClanahan, counsel for the plaintiffs, wrote in the Monday notice that with the relevant information about Altik, "it has become apparent that [Department of Justice attorney] Ms. [Elizabeth] Shapiro may have misrepresented — knowingly or unknowingly — his affiliation to the Court on 6 February — perhaps to preserve the illusion that OPM's counsel were ignorant of what OPM was doing with the Government-Wide Email System, or perhaps to obscure the role of DOGE and the White House in this case."| archive-date=2025-03-30| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250330001154/https://fedscoop.com/doge-lawyer-opm-email-lawsuit-jacob-altik/| url-status=live}}</ref>
Few DOGE members spoke to the press. Musk appeared on Fox News multiple times and spoke to Joe Rogan, but has been criticized for declining challenging interviews.<ref name="Gold-20250420">{{Cite news| last=Gold| first=Hadas| date=2025-04-20| title=Elon Musk is the face of DOGE. But he hasn't faced a challenging interview| url=https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/20/media/elon-musk-interviews-media/index.html| website=CNN| access-date=29 August 2025| archive-date=2025-08-31| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250831084812/https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/20/media/elon-musk-interviews-media/index.html| url-status=live}}</ref>
===Leadership=== One month after being taken over by DOGE, multiple legacy USDS employees could not identify its leadership.<ref name="Kelly-20250218">{{Cite magazine |last=Kelly |first=Makena |date=2025-02-18 |title=Not Even DOGE Employees Know Who's Legally Running DOGE |url=https://www.wired.com/story/doge-elon-musk-leadership-administrator/ |access-date=2025-05-04 |magazine=Wired |language=en-US |issn=1059-1028 |archive-date=2025-05-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250504041029/https://www.wired.com/story/doge-elon-musk-leadership-administrator/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In a February 17 affidavit, Office of Administration director Joshua Fischer told Judge Tanya Chutkan that Musk was not the administrator or an employee of DOGE but a special government employee with no "authority to make government decisions". Trump declared two days later to have put "Musk in charge" of DOGE.<ref>{{Cite news| title=Judge declines to immediately block Elon Musk or DOGE from federal data or layoffs| work=ABC7 Los Angeles| access-date=2025-08-17| date=2025-02-18| url=https://abc7.com/post/white-house-claims-elon-musk-does-not-run-doge-new-filing/15925645/| archive-date=2025-03-31| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250331102759/https://abc7.com/post/white-house-claims-elon-musk-does-not-run-doge-new-filing/15925645/| url-status=live}}</ref> At a February 24 hearing, Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly questioned the constitutionality of retrofitting DOGE as the United States Digital Service and asked the government attorney, Bradley Humphreys, about its structure; he said that he ignored Musk's role beyond that of Trump advisor.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Stratford |first=Michael |date=2025-02-24 |title=Judge questions constitutionality of DOGE, Musk's role |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/24/judge-questions-constitutionality-doge-elon-musk-00205866 |access-date=2025-03-07 |work=Politico |quote="Based on the limited record I have before me I have some concerns about the constitutionality of the ... USDS's structure and operation," said Kollar-Kotelly, using the acronym of the U.S. Digital Service that President Donald Trump renamed and restructured as the U.S. DOGE Service on his first day in office.}}</ref> On the next day, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that Musk is "overseeing DOGE" but refused to identify its administrator.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Woodward |first=Alex |date=2025-02-25 |title=White House refuses to reveal the name of the DOGE administrator |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/elon-musk-doge-administrator-karoline-leavitt-b2704577.html |access-date=2025-02-25 |work=The Independent |archive-date=2025-02-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250225195322/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/elon-musk-doge-administrator-karoline-leavitt-b2704577.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=February 25, 2025 |title=WATCH: White House refuses to 'reveal' DOGE administrator during briefing |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-white-house-refuses-to-reveal-doge-administrator-during-briefing |publisher=PBS News}}</ref>
Later the same day, the White House named Amy Gleason, who worked from 2018 through 2021 at US Digital Service (USDS), as acting administrator.<ref>{{cite web |last=Bose |first=Nandita |date=February 25, 2025 |title=White House names Amy Gleason the administrator for Musk's DOGE program |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/white-house-names-amy-gleason-administrator-musks-doge-program-2025-02-25/ |publisher=Reuters |access-date=2025-05-04 |archive-date=2025-03-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250305110624/https://www.reuters.com/world/us/white-house-names-amy-gleason-administrator-musks-doge-program-2025-02-25/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="ap-25feb2025">{{cite news |last1=Foley |first1=Ryan J. |date=February 25, 2025 |title=Who is Amy Gleason, the person named DOGE's acting leader by the White House? |url=https://apnews.com/article/doge-acting-administrator-amy-gleason-65af638e646fdd5dd6d5fcc5cc04a2e7 |access-date=February 25, 2025 |work=Associated Press |agency=Associated Press}}</ref> On February 28, Justice Department lawyer Joshua Gardner told Judge Theodore D. Chuang that he was unable to identify the administrator of DOGE before Gleason.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kalmbacher |first=Colin |date=2025-03-01 |title=Judge upbraids Trump admin lawyer for lack of knowledge about how DOGE operates |url=https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/that-seems-like-a-knowable-fact-doesnt-it-judge-upbraids-trump-admin-lawyer-for-lack-of-knowledge-and-strange-disconnect-about-how-doge-operates/ |access-date=2025-03-01 |work=Law & Crime}}</ref> In a filing submitted under seal but partly released in March, the Trump administration recognized that Gleason has been working at Health and Human Services at the same time that she said having worked full-time as an administrator of the US DOGE Service.<ref name="DOGE-leader-at-HHS">{{Cite web |date=2025-03-18 |title=The person the White House says is leading DOGE has also been working at HHS |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2025/03/18/doge-leader-human-services-gleason-00237827 |access-date=2025-03-20 |work=Politico}}</ref> At the end of February, neither the White House nor its lawyers could confirm who was running it.<ref name="Kelly-20250218" />
In his March 4 joint address to Congress, Trump repeated that DOGE "is headed by Elon Musk".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lebowitz |first1=Megan |date=March 5, 2025 |title=Lawyer submits 'new evidence' in case against DOGE, using Trump's own words |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/doge/lawyer-submits-new-evidence-case-doge-using-trumps-words-rcna194840 |access-date=March 5, 2025 |work=NBC News |archive-date=March 5, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250305134946/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/doge/lawyer-submits-new-evidence-case-doge-using-trumps-words-rcna194840 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |date=2025-03-05 |title=Read Full Transcript of Trump's 2025 Speech to Congress |url=https://time.com/7264688/trump-speech-congress-2025-transcript/ |access-date=2025-03-05 |magazine=Time |archive-date=2025-03-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250305121159/https://time.com/7264688/trump-speech-congress-2025-transcript/ |url-status=live }}</ref> After being quoted in lawsuits days later, Trump reportedly told members of his Cabinet that ''they'' rather than Musk and DOGE were to make staffing decisions for their departments, but a few hours later remonstrated "If they don't cut, then Elon will do the cutting."<ref>{{cite web |last=Egwuonwu |first=Nnamdi |date=March 6, 2025 |title=Trump puts new limits on Elon Musk's authority amid backlash to DOGE cuts |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/doge/trump-cabinet-meeting-new-limits-elon-musk-backlash-doge-cuts-rcna195259 |publisher=NBC News |access-date=May 4, 2025 |archive-date=May 5, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250505022852/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/doge/trump-cabinet-meeting-new-limits-elon-musk-backlash-doge-cuts-rcna195259 |url-status=live }}</ref> On March 18, Chuang determined that Musk was "the leader of DOGE" and that his actions in dismantling USAID violated the Appointments Clause.<ref name="Musk-acted-unconstitutionally">{{cite news |last1=Lee |first1=Ella | last2=Shonfeld |first2=Zach| date=March 18, 2025 |title=Judge finds Elon Musk likely acted unconstitutionally in shuttering USAID |url=https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5201430-judge-elon-musk-usaid/ |access-date=March 18, 2025 |work=The Hill |quote=It marks the first time a judge has ruled that Musk is likely exercising enough independent authority to require him to be confirmed by the Senate under the Constitution's Appointments Clause. "The record of his activities to date establishes that his role has been and will continue to be as the leader of DOGE, with the same duties and degree of continuity as if he was formally in that position,'" wrote Chuang, an appointee of former President Obama. Chuang rejected the Trump administration's argument that Musk is not the DOGE administrator and is instead merely a senior adviser to the president who has no independent authority.}}</ref> In a May 21 Supreme Court filing, Solicitor General John Sauer told the court that Musk "is not part of" DOGE.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rumpf |first=Sarah |date=2025-05-21 |title=Trump Lawyer Tells Supreme Court Elon Musk Is 'Not Part of' DOGE — Even Though Trump Has Repeatedly Said Musk is 'In Charge' of It |url=https://www.mediaite.com/lawcrime/trump-lawyer-tells-supreme-court-elon-musk-is-not-part-of-doge-even-though-trump-has-repeatedly-said-musk-is-in-charge-of-it/ |access-date=2025-05-22 |website=Mediaite |language=en}}</ref> In a separate lawsuit involving Musk's company X, his own lawyers stated that he is "in charge of" DOGE.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sneed |first=Tierney |date=2025-03-30 |title=Is DOGE actually an agency? The answer could have major ramifications |url=https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/30/politics/doge-lawsuits-elon-musk-role/index.html |access-date=2025-04-06 |website=CNN |language=en |quote=The group, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics (CREW), noted in its Thursday discovery request that lawyers for Musk told a judge last week, in a case concerning his company X, that he was too busy to sit for a deposition because the White House had put him "in charge of Establishing and implementing" DOGE.}}</ref>
===Departures===
During Tesla's earnings call on April 22, Musk told his investors that he planned to reduce his government work, but that he will "likely" continue for the remainder of Trump's term.<ref>{{Cite news |author=Grace Eliza Goodwin |author2=John L. Dorman |title=Elon Musk is stepping back, but DOGE's work is far from over |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-stepping-back-doge-whats-next-2025-4 |access-date=2025-04-25 |work=Business Insider}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Subramanian |first=Pras |date=2025-04-23 |title=Tesla stock rises after Musk says time at DOGE will drop 'significantly' |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/tesla-stock-rises-after-musk-says-time-at-doge-will-drop-significantly-124551548.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250428205109/https://finance.yahoo.com/news/tesla-stock-rises-after-musk-says-time-at-doge-will-drop-significantly-124551548.html |archive-date=2025-04-28 |access-date=2025-05-01 |work=Yahoo Finance |language=en-US |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |first1=Grace Eliza |last1=Goodwin |first2=Brent D. |last2=Griffiths |first3=Ana |last3=Altchek |date=April 22, 2025 |title=Elon Musk says he's stepping back from DOGE |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-stepping-back-doge-tesla-2025-4 |access-date=2025-05-01 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}}</ref> Musk clarified that he was not planning to step away from DOGE entirely, saying that he would "spend a day or two per week on government matters for as long as the president would like me to do so".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Domonoske |first=Camila |date=April 22, 2025 |title=As Tesla profits plunge 71%, Elon Musk says he'll spend less time on DOGE |url=https://www.npr.org/2025/04/22/nx-s1-5371552/tesla-earnings-april-2025-elon-musk-doge |access-date=2025-04-29 |work=NPR |language=en |archive-date=2025-04-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250428025323/https://www.npr.org/2025/04/22/nx-s1-5371552/tesla-earnings-april-2025-elon-musk-doge |url-status=live }}</ref> Musk began working remotely around the same time,<ref name="Musk-works-remotely">{{Cite web| title=Elon Musk is no longer working from the White House, Susie Wiles reveals| access-date=2025-05-01| url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/elon-musk-trump-white-house-doge-b2742281.html| work=The Independent| date=30 April 2025| archive-date=2025-05-01| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250501050317/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/elon-musk-trump-white-house-doge-b2742281.html| url-status=live}}</ref> months after expressing his intent to ban remote work for federal workers.<ref>{{Cite web| last=Hawkins| first=Andrew J.| title=Elon Musk says 'get off your work-from-home bullshit'| work=The Verge| access-date=2025-05-22| date=2023-05-16| url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/5/16/23726294/elon-musk-remote-work-cnbc-interview| archive-date=2025-08-24| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250824093452/https://www.theverge.com/2023/5/16/23726294/elon-musk-remote-work-cnbc-interview| url-status=live}}{{Cite web| last=Goswami| first=Rohan| title=Elon Musk: Working from home is 'morally wrong' when service workers still have to show up| work=CNBC| access-date=2025-05-22| date=2023-05-16| url=https://www.cnbc.com/2023/05/16/elon-musk-work-from-home-morally-wrong-when-some-have-to-show-up.html| archive-date=2025-05-29| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250529080353/https://www.cnbc.com/2023/05/16/elon-musk-work-from-home-morally-wrong-when-some-have-to-show-up.html| url-status=live}}</ref> Musk's offboarding began on May 28 at the end of his scheduled time as a special government employee.<ref>{{cite news |date=May 28, 2025 |title=Elon Musk officially leaves the White House |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/elon-musk-leaves-trump-white-house-rcna209636?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us |access-date=May 29, 2025 |publisher=NBC News |archive-date=August 29, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250829160340/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/elon-musk-leaves-trump-white-house-rcna209636?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Fowler |first=Stephen |date=2025-05-30 |title=Elon Musk is leaving the federal government. What's next for DOGE? |url=https://www.npr.org/2025/05/30/nx-s1-5415641/musk-leaves-doge-what-comes-next |access-date=2025-07-03 |work=NPR |language=en |archive-date=2025-07-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250702125914/https://www.npr.org/2025/05/30/nx-s1-5415641/musk-leaves-doge-what-comes-next |url-status=live }}</ref> Top Musk lieutenant Steve Davis, top DOGE advisor Katie Miller and DOGE general counsel James Burnham would be leaving as well.<ref name="Musk-leaving-DOGE">{{cite news |date=May 29, 2025 |title=Elon Musk leaving DOGE, but he'll continue to advise Trump, White House says |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/elon-musk-signals-his-time-leading-doge-is-coming-to-an-end/ |access-date=May 29, 2025 |work=CBS News |archive-date=May 29, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250529022438/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/elon-musk-signals-his-time-leading-doge-is-coming-to-an-end/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Trump officially thanked Musk during an Oval Office farewell on May 30, and said Musk was "not really leaving".<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-05-30 |title=Trump says Elon Musk 'not really leaving' in Oval Office farewell |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4ger3gxdjro |access-date=2025-06-03 |archive-date=2025-06-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250603165721/https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4ger3gxdjro |url-status=live }}</ref> During an interview with Brett Baier on June 1, Musk criticized the One Big Beautiful Bill Act for undoing DOGE's work.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-06-01 |title=Musk criticizes Trump's 'big beautiful bill,' says tariffs harm his businesses |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/musk-trump-tariffs-spacex-tesla-b2761584.html |access-date=2025-06-03 |work=The Independent}}</ref> Shortly thereafter, the Trump–Musk feud occurred, placing the future of DOGE in question.
===Institutionalization=== {{Main|Department of Government Efficiency#Institutionalization}}
{{trim|{{#section-h:Department of Government Efficiency|Institutionalization}}}}
==Composition==
===Type===
DOGE members have been classified into leadership, staffers and allies; allies either have no formal affiliation with DOGE<ref name="list-Silicon-Valley" /><ref name="list-inside-plan" /> or joined the administration through other means.<ref name="compilation-NYT" /> Types of staffer resemble DOGE teams mentioned in the first executive order:<ref name="EI">{{cite journal |date=29 January 2025 |title=Establishing and Implementing the President's "Department of Government Efficiency" |url=https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2025-01-29/pdf/2025-02005.pdf |url-status=live |journal=Federal Register |publisher=Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration |volume=90 |issue=14 |pages=8441–8442 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250129130442/https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2025-01-29/pdf/2025-02005.pdf |archive-date=January 29, 2025}}</ref> executive, tech, and lawyer.{{efn|These generic concepts circumvent the inconsistent typologies used in the sources.}} An "affiliate" is thus either a leader or a staffer.<ref name="compilation-Wired" />
=== Status ===
DOGE affiliation extends beyond employee status: personnel consisted of volunteers at first.<ref name="BI-squad" /> While the Office of Presidential Personnel made political loyalty to Trump a cornerstone of its hiring strategy, DOGE employees were onboarded through a separate Musk-led process.<ref name="Cai 07092025">{{Cite news |last=Cai |first=Sophia |date=July 9, 2025 |title=White House looks into rogue employee who used a DOGE account to DM anti-Musk activist |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/07/white-house-looks-into-rogue-musk-loyalist-who-used-a-doge-account-to-dm-anti-elon-activist-00441688 |access-date=July 10, 2025 |work=Politico |quote=The White House's Presidential Personnel Office has made loyalty a cornerstone of its hiring strategy, scouring social media accounts and grilling applicants about their Trump bona fides. But DOGE hires, selected through a separate Musk-led process, didn't undergo the same level of scrutiny, according to a Trump official granted anonymity to describe the process.}}</ref>
Special government employees have an advisory role limited to a 130-day work period that can be paid or unpaid. Those who earn a substantial salary have to disclose it. Unlike federal workers, special employees are allowed to keep outside salaries and may not need to disclose conflicts of interest.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Picchi |first=Aimee |date=2025-02-18 |title=Musk is not an employee of DOGE and "has no actual or formal authority," White House says |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/elon-musk-doge-not-employee-no-authority-white-house-says/ |access-date=2025-03-07 |website=CBS News}}</ref><ref name="DOGE-six-figure-salaries">{{Cite magazine |last=Knibbs |first=Kate |title=Some DOGE Staffers Are Drawing Six-Figure Government Salaries |url=https://www.wired.com/story/doge-government-salaries-elon-musk/ |access-date=2025-03-14 |magazine=Wired |issn=1059-1028}}</ref>
===Size===
In February 2025, Trump told reporters that there were 100 DOGE employees.<ref>{{Cite web| title=Elon Musk isn't actually in charge of DOGE, White House says| access-date=2026-05-10| url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/02/18/elon-musk-doge-white-house/79070607007/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web| title=Remarks During a Swearing-in Ceremony for Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence and an Exchange with Reporters {{!}} The American Presidency Project| access-date=2026-05-10| url=https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-during-swearing-ceremony-for-tulsi-gabbard-director-national-intelligence-and|quote=And it's—his group of people—you know, they started off with 12. I call them 12 geniuses. They started off with 12, and they went to 20 and 25, and now they're up to almost 100}}</ref> Musk said the next month that he planned to double that number.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-03-10 |title=Musk says DOGE is in almost every federal agency and plans to double staff |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/doge/musk-says-doge-almost-every-federal-agency-plans-double-staff-rcna195735 |access-date=2025-05-04 |website=NBC News |language=en}}</ref> In the same month, Amy Gleason testified that there was about 79 appointed employees, and 10 employees seconded from other agencies.<ref>{{Cite news| last=Reid| first=Tim| title=What is Musk's DOGE, the secretive unit operating in the public eye?| work=Reuters| access-date=2026-05-10| date=2025-04-24| url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/what-is-elon-musks-doge-how-much-money-has-it-saved-us-taxpayers-2025-03-04/ |quote=The DOGE team is small, with about 79 appointed employees and 10 employees seconded from other agencies, Gleason said in her court filing.}}</ref>
According to a White House contingency plan, there were 45 DOGE officials in October.<ref name="DOGE-stays">{{Cite web| title=White House to furlough a third of its staff but DOGE stays on the job| work=POLITICO| access-date=2026-05-14| date=2025-10-02| url=https://www.politico.com/news/2025/10/02/white-house-shutdown-furlough-doge-00592532}}</ref><ref name="DOGE-operatives-abandoned">{{Cite web| last=Tangermann| first=Victor| title=DOGE Operatives Scared They're in Real Trouble Now That Elon Has Abandoned Them| work=Futurism| access-date=2026-05-14| date=2025-11-24| url=https://futurism.com/future-society/doge-operatives-elon-abandoned}}</ref> In January 2026, ''Bloomberg'' has found that 55 individuals responsible for workforce cuts did not receive salary compensation, like many early DOGE hires; this list also includes political appointees, such as Linda McMahon and Lee Zeldin.<ref name="data-details-DOGE">{{Cite news| last1=Gordon| first1=Aaron| last2=Leopold| first2=Jason| title=Data Reveals Details About DOGE, Government Hiring in 2025| work=Bloomberg.com| access-date=2026-05-10| date=2026-01-09| url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2026-01-09/data-reveals-details-about-doge-government-hiring}}</ref>
===Roles===
Many DOGE members are embedded in other government units under specific roles.<ref name="Gleason-pulls-back-curtain">{{Cite web |last=Grumbach |first=Gary |date=2025-03-20 |title=Acting DOGE head pulls back the curtain on parts of the group's structure in a court filing |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/live-blog/trump-administration-education-department-immigration-live-updates-rcna196782 |access-date=2025-03-20 |website=NBC News |language=en |archive-date=2025-03-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250320111025/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/live-blog/trump-administration-education-department-immigration-live-updates-rcna196782 |url-status=live }}</ref> At least 23 employees hired at the OPM between 20 January and 20 February worked for DOGE.<ref name="Bloomberg-OPM-list">{{Cite news |date=2025-05-02 |title=Here Are the Job Titles and Salary Ranges of Some DOGE Staffers |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2025-05-02/here-are-the-job-titles-and-salary-ranges-of-some-doge-staffers |access-date=2025-05-02 |work=Bloomberg.com}}</ref> By March, DOGE was installed at GSA<ref name="DOGE-at-GSA">{{Cite magazine |last1=Kelly |first1=Makena |title=Elon Musk's Friends Have Infiltrated Another Government Agency |url=https://www.wired.com/story/elon-musk-lackeys-general-services-administration/ |access-date=2025-03-09 |magazine=Wired |issn=1059-1028 |archive-date=2025-02-01 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250201053133/https://www.wired.com/story/elon-musk-lackeys-general-services-administration/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and SSA.<ref name="Wired-SSA-list">{{Cite magazine |last1=Kelly |first1=Makena |last2=Gilbert |first2=David |title=These Are the 10 DOGE Operatives Inside the Social Security Administration |url=https://www.wired.com/story/doge-operatives-access-social-security-administration/ |access-date=2025-03-14 |magazine=Wired |issn=1059-1028}}</ref> DOGE teams have been detailed to almost every executive branch agency; six members affiliated to GSA tried to embed DOGE teams in units outside of it.<ref name="NPR-beyond-executive-branch">{{Cite news| last=Bond| first=Shannon| title=DOGE has tried to embed beyond the executive branch. Some targets have pushed back| work=NPR| access-date=2025-09-02| date=2025-05-20| url=https://www.npr.org/2025/05/17/nx-s1-5401392/doge-federal-agency-nonprofits-cpb-usip-vera-institute| archive-date=2025-08-18| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250818194703/https://www.npr.org/2025/05/17/nx-s1-5401392/doge-federal-agency-nonprofits-cpb-usip-vera-institute| url-status=live}}</ref>
===Ties===
''Wired'' mapped four connections: Musk (roughly 40 DOGE members were tied to him), conservative lawyers, Trump, and Silicon Valley.<ref name="compilation-Wired" /> ''ProPublica'' found 29 executive managers, 28 engineers, 16 investors, and 12 lawyers; more came from finance than any other field; it also found that most staffers are young (60% under 40) men (83% male) with limited government experience.<ref name="DOGE-100" /> ''Bloomberg'' found connections between DOGE members and either Musk or Thiel.<ref name="compilation-Bloomberg-Musk" /><ref name="compilation-Bloomberg-Thiel" />
At least 23 DOGE officials are making cuts at agencies that regulate where they previously worked.<ref name="DOGE-100" /> Many DOGE members made financial contributions to the Trump campaign.<ref>{{Cite web| last=Liu| first=Elizabeth| title=DOGE staffers followed Musk's lead in 2024 campaign contributions| work=OpenSecrets News| access-date=2025-05-22| date=2025-05-19| url=https://opensecretsnews.wpcomstaging.com/2025/05/doge-staffers-followed-musks-lead-in-2024-campaign-contributions/| archive-date=2025-05-22| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250522134828/https://opensecretsnews.wpcomstaging.com/2025/05/doge-staffers-followed-musks-lead-in-2024-campaign-contributions/| url-status=live}}</ref>
===Actions===
Besides appearing in lists, DOGE affiliates were covered with specific news of their actions. Five were named when ''NBC'' broke the news that DOGE transferred data out of the Department of Labor on February 13: Sam Beyda, Derek Geissler, Cole Killian, Adam Ramada and Jordan Wick.<ref name="DOGE-can-use-PuTTY">{{Cite web| title=DOGE software approval alarms Labor Department employees| work=NBC News| access-date=2025-03-18| date=2025-02-13| url=https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/security/doge-software-approval-alarms-labor-department-employees-data-security-rcna191583| archive-date=2025-03-19| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250319235608/https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/security/doge-software-approval-alarms-labor-department-employees-data-security-rcna191583| url-status=live}}</ref> On June 16, the ''New York Times'' listed the key 8 DOGE official involved with SSA.<ref name="SSA-chaotic-takeover">{{Cite news| issn=0362-4331| last1=Berzon| first1=Alexandra| last2=Nehamas| first2=Nicholas| last3=Bernard| first3=Tara Siegel| title=Inside DOGE's Chaotic Takeover of Social Security| work=The New York Times| access-date=2025-06-16| date=2025-06-16| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/16/us/politics/doge-social-security.html| archive-url=https://archive.today/20250616100059/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/16/us/politics/doge-social-security.html| archive-date=2025-06-16}}<nowiki>}}</nowiki></ref>
==List of DOGE members==
===Compilations===
Many teams of investigative journalists tracked the background, roles, and assignments of DOGE personnel. Their compilations vary in scope. No exhaustive list of DOGE members has been made public.
On February 6, 2025, ''ProPublica'' first published its "tracker";<ref name="compilation-ProPublica">{{Cite web |last1=Asher-Schapiro |first1=Avi |last2=Bing |first2=Christopher |last3=Waldman |first3=Annie |last4=Murphy |first4=Brett |last5=Kroll |first5=Andy |last6=Elliott |first6=Justin |last7=Berg |first7=Kirsten |last8=Turton |first8=William |last9=Rotella |first9=Sebastian |last10=Mierjeski |first10=Alex |last11=Rebala |first11=Pratheek |last12=Shaw |first12=Al |date=2025-02-06 |title=Elon Musk's Demolition Crew |url=https://projects.propublica.org/elon-musk-doge-tracker/ |access-date=2025-08-18 |work=ProPublica |archive-date=2025-06-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250601033657/https://projects.propublica.org/elon-musk-doge-tracker/ |url-status=live }}</ref> with 109 names on its June 10 update, they claimed the most exhaustive list of DOGE affiliates.<ref name="DOGE-100" /> On February 16, ''Fast Company'' published 34 names.<ref name="compilation-FastCompany">{{Cite web| last=McDonald| first=Lily| title=Everything you need to know about Elon Musk's DOGE staffers| work=Fast Company| access-date=2026-05-20| date=2025-02-14| url=https://www.fastcompany.com/91278553/everything-you-need-to-know-about-elon-musks-doge-staffers}}</ref> Two days later, ''TechCrunch'' compiled a list of DOGE staffers, and the senior advisors coming from Musk's inner circle;<ref name="compilation-TechCrunch">{{Cite web |last1=Korosec |first1=Kirsten |last2=Whittaker |first2=Zack |last3=Rollet |first3=Charles |last4=O'Kane |first4=Sean |last5=Franceschi-Bicchierai |first5=Lorenzo |date=2025-02-18 |title=Donald Trump picks Elon Musk for US government cost-cutting role |url=https://techcrunch.com/2025/02/18/the-people-in-elon-musk-doge-universe/ |url-status=live |access-date=2025-02-18 |publisher=Techcrunch}}</ref> that list has been last updated on May 20 and contained 33 names.<ref name="compilation-TechCrunch-updated">{{Cite web |last1=Korosec |first1=Kirsten |last2=Whittaker |first2=Zack |last3=Rollet |first3=Charles |last4=O'Kane |first4=Sean |last5=Franceschi-Bicchierai |first5=Lorenzo |date=2025-05-20 |title=The people in Elon Musk's DOGE universe |url=https://techcrunch.com/2025/05/20/the-people-in-elon-musk-doge-universe/ |access-date=2025-08-17 |work=TechCrunch}}</ref> On February 28, the ''New York Times'' tracked the roles DOGE members officially took, and the agencies to which they were delegated, and also mapped the ties that could explain why the members were hired. At the time the New York Times updated its list mid-June 2025, it contained 86 DOGE members.<ref name="compilation-NYT" />
On March 6, ''Fortune'' identified DOGE "top players".<ref name="compilation-Fortune">{{Cite web |last=Beltran |first=Luisa |title=Here are top executives at Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE |url=https://fortune.com/2025/03/06/doge-musk-venture-a16z-sequoia-tesla-twitter/ |access-date=2025-08-25 |work=Fortune}}</ref> The next day, Bloomberg published Thiel's network.<ref name="compilation-Bloomberg-Thiel">{{Cite news| title=Peter Thiel's Network Is Quietly Shaping Trump's Government| work=Bloomberg.com| access-date=2025-03-18| date=2025-03-07| url=https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2025-peter-thiel-trump-administration-connections/}}</ref> On March 19, TechCrunch listed 19 founders and VCs working with DOGE <ref name="compilation-founders-VCs">{{Cite web| first1=Sean| last=O'Kane| first2=Charles| last2=Rollet| first3=Rebecca| last3=Bellan| first4=Dominic-Madori| last4=Davis| first5=Julie| last5=Bort| title=19 founders and VCs working with Elon Musk's DOGE| work=TechCrunch| access-date=2025-04-03| date=2025-03-26| url=https://techcrunch.com/2025/03/26/19-founders-and-vcs-working-with-elon-musks-doge/}}</ref> ''WIRED'' published its "mapping" of 80 operatives that were added to the second Trump administration or the agencies.<ref name="compilation-Wired">{{Cite magazine |last=Elliott |first=Vittoria |title=We Mapped DOGE's Silicon Valley and Corporate Connections |url=https://www.wired.com/story/elon-musk-doge-silicon-valley-corporate-connections/ |access-date=2025-03-30 |magazine=Wired |issn=1059-1028}}</ref> ''The Washington Post'' published a list on April 4 of "allies" and employees who work at the USDS who help carry DOGE objectives.<ref name="compilation-WaPo">{{Cite web| title=The DOGE employees and allies working on Elon Musk’s government goals| work=The Washington Post| access-date=2025-08-06| date=2025-04-08| url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/interactive/2025/doge-employees-list-staff-elon-musk/}}</ref> ''Bloomberg'' published days later its second list, this time of Musk associates.<ref name="compilation-Bloomberg-Musk">{{Cite news |date=2025-04-08 |title=The Musk Associates Running the Government — Even After He's Gone |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2025-elon-musk-trump-admin-network/ |work=Bloomberg.com}}</ref>
===Keys===
<!-- Used for citations that would overload the call to references list. Mostly if not only used for compilations of DOGE names. Ordered by first publication -->
{{columns-list|colwidth=20em| * <sup>[a]</sup>{{anchor|compilation-ProPublica}}{{dash}}''ProPublica'''s "tracker"<ref name="compilation-ProPublica" /> * <sup>[b]</sup>{{anchor|compilation-FastCompany}}{{dash}}''FastCompany'''s "staffers"<ref name="compilation-FastCompany" /> * <sup>[c]</sup>{{anchor|compilation-TechCrunch-updated}}{{dash}}''TechCrunch'''s universe<ref name="compilation-TechCrunch-updated" /> * <sup>[d]</sup>{{anchor|compilation-NYT}}{{dash}}''New York Times's'' "people"<ref name="compilation-NYT" /> * <sup>[e]</sup>{{anchor|compilation-Fortune}}{{dash}}''Fortune'''s "top power players"<ref name="compilation-Fortune" /> * <sup>[f]</sup>{{anchor|compilation-Bloomberg-Thiel}}{{dash}}''Bloomberg'''s Thiel network<ref name="compilation-Bloomberg-Thiel" /> * <sup>[g]</sup>{{anchor|compilation-founders-VCs}}{{dash}}''TechCrunch'''s 19 VCs<ref name="compilation-founders-VCs" /> * <sup>[h]</sup>{{anchor|compilation-Wired}}{{dash}}''WIRED'''s mapping<ref name="compilation-Wired" /> * <sup>[i]</sup>{{anchor|compilation-WaPo}}{{dash}}''Washington Post'''s "employees and allies"<ref name="compilation-WaPo" /> * <sup>[j]</sup>{{anchor|compilation-Bloomberg-Musk}}{{dash}}''Bloomberg'''s Musk associates<ref name="compilation-Bloomberg-Musk" /> }}
===Table=== {{Original research section|date=May 2026}} {{Missing information|reason=members of the DOGE network; more than 75% of the information from this table has been deleted based on misinterpretations of various guidelines|May 2026|date=May 2026}} {| class="wikitable sortable sticky-header mw-uncollapsed" |+ class="nowrap"| DOGE network !Name !Type !Roles !Ties !Involvement ! class="unsortable"| See |- | {{sortname cell|Marc|Andreessen}}{{anchor|Andreessen}} | Ally{{dash}}unofficial adviser<ref name="list-Silicon-Valley" />[[#compilation-TechCrunch-updated|<sup>[c]</sup>]][[#compilation-Fortune|<sup>[e]</sup>]] | | Musk{{dash}}a16z backed SpaceX, xAI, and Twitter; Trump{{dash}}transition team | Networked to hire talents; pushed for return-to-office<ref>{{Cite web| last=Redmond| first=Nora| title=DOGE's 'unpaid intern' Marc Andreessen says DC is a ghost town, and bringing government workers back is a top priority| work=Business Insider| access-date=2025-08-28| url=https://www.businessinsider.com/marc-andreessen-doge-rto-staff-office-ghost-town-washington-dc-2025-1}}</ref> | |- | {{sortname cell|Jared|Birchall}}{{anchor|Birchall}} | Ally{{dash}}unofficial adviser<ref name="list-Silicon-Valley" /> | | Musk{{dash}}wealth manager, Neuralink; Trump{{dash}}transition team | Interviewed Department of State candidates | |- | {{sortname cell|Frank|Bisignano}}{{anchor|Bisignano}} | Ally[[#compilation-NYT|<sup>[d]</sup>]] | SSA commissioner | Fintech{{dash}}Fiserv, First Data Corp<ref>{{Cite news| title=Who is Frank Bisignano, Trump's nominee to oversee Social Security?|work=CBS News| access-date=2025-09-06| date=2025-03-25| url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/social-security-frank-bisignano-confirmation-hearing/}}</ref> JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup<ref>{{Cite web| last=Durkee| first=Alison| title=Who Is Frank Bisgnano? Trump's Social Security Pick Has Confirmation Hearing Amid DOGE Service Cuts| work=Forbes| access-date=2025-09-06| url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2025/03/25/who-is-frank-bisignano-democrats-grill-trumps-social-security-pick-at-confirmation-amid-doge-cuts-to-service/}}</ref> | | |- | {{sortname cell|Nate|Cavanaugh}}{{anchor|Cavanaugh}} | Affiliate{{dash}}staffer[[#compilation-NYT|<sup>[d]</sup>]] | USIP acting president;<ref>{{Cite web| last=Tan| first=Kwan Wei Kevin| title=Lawsuit says DOGE put a 28-year-old in charge of USIP, an organization that promotes international peacebuilding and conflict resolution| work=Business Insider| access-date=2025-08-30| url=https://www.businessinsider.com/lawsuit-doge-put-28-year-old-in-charge-of-usip-2025-4}}</ref> GSA<ref name="DOGE-six-figure-salaries" />[[#compilation-ProPublica|<sup>[a]</sup>]][[#compilation-FastCompany|<sup>[b]</sup>]] | Startups{{dash}}Brainbase, FlowFi[[#compilation-WaPo|<sup>[i]</sup>]] | ICH; entered USADF, IAF, IMLS, NEH, MBDA; contacted the Vera Institute;<ref name="beyond-executive-branch">{{Cite news| last1=Bond| first1=Shannon| last2=Fowler| first2=Stephen| date=2025-05-17| title=DOGE has tried to embed beyond the executive branch. Some targets have pushed back| url=https://www.wuwm.com/politics-government/2025-05-17/doge-has-tried-to-embed-beyond-the-executive-branch-some-targets-have-pushed-back| access-date=2025-05-22| work=WUWM| archive-date=2025-05-23| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250523030710/https://www.wuwm.com/politics-government/2025-05-17/doge-has-tried-to-embed-beyond-the-executive-branch-some-targets-have-pushed-back| url-status=live}};</ref> appeared on Fox News<ref>{{Cite web| last2=Bing| first2=Christopher| first1=Avi| last1=Asher-Schapiro| title=DOGE Targeted Him on Social Media. Then the Taliban Took His Family.| work=ProPublica| access-date=2025-08-22| date=2025-08-22| url=https://www.propublica.org/article/doge-musk-mohammad-halimi-institute-peace-taliban| archive-date=2025-08-22| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250822111119/https://www.propublica.org/article/doge-musk-mohammad-halimi-institute-peace-taliban| url-status=live}}</ref> made a video deposition<ref name="Cavanaugh-deposition">{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvd1wggkB0Y |title=Nathan Cavanaugh Deposition in ACLS-AHA-MLA Lawsuit About the NEH, Part 5 of 6 |date=March 7, 2026 |last=American Historical Association |access-date=March 12, 2026 |via=YouTube}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web| last=Rogelberg| first=Sasha| title='No, we didn't': DOGE staffers admit Elon Musk's cost-cutting agency failed to reduce the federal deficit| work=Fortune| access-date=2026-03-27| url=https://fortune.com/2026/03/16/doge-employee-deposition-lawsuit-federal-deficit-elon-musk-spending/ }}</ref> | |- | {{sortname cell|Edward "Big Balls"| Coristine|Edward Coristine}}{{anchor|Coristine}} | Tech{{dash}}coder | SSA senior advisor (June 2025{{ndash}});<ref name="DOGE-2.0" /><ref name="Coristine-at-SSA" /> CISA;<ref name="DOGE-at-CISA">{{Cite magazine |last=Zetter |first=Kim |title=DOGE Now Has Access to the Top US Cybersecurity Agency |url=https://www.wired.com/story/doge-cisa-coristine-cybersecurity/ |access-date=2025-03-25 |magazine=Wired |issn=1059-1028}}</ref> GSA<ref name="Coristine-at-SSA" /> | Musk{{dash}}Neuralink intern; Tesla.sexy LLC owner;<ref name="Wired-on-Coristine" /> ''The Com'';<ref name="Krebs-on-Coristine" /> | Appeared twice on Fox News;<ref name="DOGE-staffers-interview">{{Cite web| title='Big Balls' speaks out as DOGE Staffers give first interview| work=Newsweek| access-date=2025-05-02| date=2025-05-02| url=https://www.newsweek.com/big-balls-speaks-out-doge-staffers-give-first-interview-2067081}}</ref> accessed CISA systems<ref name="DOGE-at-CISA" /> granted access to USCIS databases<ref name="DOGE-at-USCIS">{{Cite web| title=DOGE granted access to naturalization-related IT systems, memo shows| work=FedScoop| date=2 April 2025| access-date=2025-08-30| url=https://fedscoop.com/doge-granted-access-to-naturalization-immigration-it-systems/| archive-date=2025-08-30| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250830032459/https://fedscoop.com/doge-granted-access-to-naturalization-immigration-it-systems/| url-status=live}}</ref> |[[#compilation-ProPublica|<sup>[a]</sup>]][[#compilation-TechCrunch-updated|<sup>[c]</sup>]][[#compilation-Bloomberg-Musk|<sup>[j]</sup>]][[#compilation-NYT|<sup>[d]</sup>]] |- | {{sortname cell|Steve|Davis|Steve Davis (executive)}}{{anchor|Davis}} | Leadership{{dash}}second in command (Feb{{ndash}}May 2025)<ref name="Musk-leaving-DOGE" /> | EOP, OPM, GSA | Musk{{dash}}SpaceX, Twitter, Boring; Atlas Society advisor<ref name="meet-Steve-Davis">{{Cite web| title=Meet the cost-cutting engineer who runs the day-to-day operations of DOGE| work=The Independent| access-date=2025-03-27| date=2025-03-20| url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/doge-steve-davis-elon-musk-b2718981.html| archive-date=2025-03-29| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250329183043/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/doge-steve-davis-elon-musk-b2718981.html| url-status=live}}</ref> | Occupied a GSA floor; involved in the SSA takeover;<ref name="SSA-chaotic-takeover" /><ref name="DOGE-new-faces">{{Cite web| title=Elon Musk's DOGE tries to put new faces on its reclusive federal office| work=NBC News| access-date=2025-04-03| date=2025-03-28| url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/doge/elon-musks-doge-tries-put-new-faces-reclusive-federal-office-rcna198491| archive-date=2025-04-02| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250402203105/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/doge/elon-musks-doge-tries-put-new-faces-reclusive-federal-office-rcna198491| url-status=live}}</ref> tried to hold a meeting after having left<ref name="Davis-did-not-go-quietly">{{Cite web |last=Cai |first=Sophia |date=July 14, 2025 |title=DOGE lead Steve Davis did not go quietly |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/14/doge-lead-steve-davis-did-not-go-quietly-00452257 |access-date=July 14, 2025 |website=Politico |archive-date=July 15, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250715042923/https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/14/doge-lead-steve-davis-did-not-go-quietly-00452257 |url-status=live }}</ref> |[[#compilation-ProPublica|<sup>[a]</sup>]][[#compilation-TechCrunch-updated|<sup>[c]</sup>]][[#compilation-NYT|<sup>[d]</sup>]][[#compilation-Bloomberg-Musk|<sup>[j]</sup>]] |- | {{sortname cell|Leland|Dudek}}{{anchor|Dudek}} | Ally[[#compilation-NYT|<sup>[d]</sup>]] | SSA acting commissioner (February to May, 2025) | Facilitated DOGE entry at SSA | Threatened to shutdown SSA;<ref name="the-president-wanted-it" /> placed on leave after contesting Trump's 40% claim;<ref name="SSA-chaotic-takeover" /> wrote an op-ed in the New York Post<ref>{{Cite web| title=Don't trust Social Security hysteria: Trump delivers results| access-date=2025-06-16| date=2025-05-06| url=https://nypost.com/2025/05/06/opinion/dont-trust-social-security-hysteria-trump-delivers-results/}}</ref> | [[#compilation-ProPublica|<sup>[a]</sup>]][[#compilation-NYT|<sup>[d]</sup>]] |- | {{sortname cell|Stephen|Ehikian}}{{anchor|Ehikian}} | Ally and Executive[[#compilation-NYT|<sup>[d]</sup>]] | GSA acting administrator<ref name="DOGE-at-GSA" />(Feb{{endash}}July 2025)<ref name="new-GSA-admin">{{Cite web| title=Trump installs new GSA acting administrator, sidelines DOGE leaders| work=POLITICO| access-date=2025-09-28| date=2025-07-21| url=https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/21/trump-installs-new-gsa-acting-administrator-sidelines-doge-leaders-00465468}}</ref> | Musk{{dash}}spouse worked at X; Salesforce; AI startup | Transferred USIP building to GSA at no cost; replaced by Michael Rigas<ref name="new-GSA-admin" /> | [[#compilation-ProPublica|<sup>[a]</sup>]][[#compilation-NYT|<sup>[d]</sup>]] |- | {{sortname cell|Marko|Elez}}{{anchor|Elez}} | Tech{{dash}}coder | USDT | Musk{{dash}}SpaceX, X, xAI, Neuralink | Fired from DOGE for past racist posts; re-hired after JD Vance's intervention; accidentally published an API key for 52 xAI LLMs in a GitHub repository<ref>{{Cite web |last=Price |first=Emily |date=July 15, 2025 |title=An Elon Musk ally gave away the keys to Grok's AI brain |url=https://qz.com/doge-staffer-xai-leak-elon-musk-marko-elez |access-date=2025-07-16 |website=Quartz |language=en |archive-date=2025-08-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250813210022/https://qz.com/doge-staffer-xai-leak-elon-musk-marko-elez |url-status=live }}</ref> | [[#compilation-ProPublica|<sup>[a]</sup>]][[#compilation-TechCrunch-updated|<sup>[c]</sup>]][[#compilation-NYT|<sup>[d]</sup>]] |- | {{sortname cell|Luke|Farritor}}{{anchor|Farritor}} | | GSA senior advisor<ref name="Big-Balls-Officially">{{Cite magazine| last1=Kelly| first1=Makena| title='Big Balls' Is Officially a Full-Time Government Employee| magazine=Wired| access-date=2025-06-04| url=https://www.wired.com/story/big-balls-young-doge-converted-into-full-time-government-employees/| archive-date=2025-06-04| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250604161331/https://www.wired.com/story/big-balls-young-doge-converted-into-full-time-government-employees/| url-status=live}}</ref> | Musk{{dash}}SpaceX; Thiel Fellowship | Helped DOGE recruitment;<ref name="recruitment-doge-army" /> accessed at least 12 databases (HHS, DOS, etc.) | [[#compilation-ProPublica|<sup>[a]</sup>]][[#compilation-NYT|<sup>[d]</sup>]][[#compilation-TechCrunch-updated|<sup>[c]</sup>]][[#compilation-Bloomberg-Thiel|<sup>[f]</sup>]][[#compilation-Bloomberg-Musk|<sup>[j]</sup>]] |- | {{sortname cell|James|Fishback}}{{anchor|Fishback}} | Ally | DOGE (Feb{{ndash}}May 2025) | Trump{{dash}}Launched his investment fund at Mar-a-Lago in December 2024 | Claimed to have advised DOGE. Suggested a "DOGE dividend"; distanced himself from DOGE during the Trump–Musk feud<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cai |first=Sofia |date=2025-06-06 |title=A DOGE architect leaves the movement after Musk feuds with Trump |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2025/06/06/a-doge-architect-leaves-the-movement-after-musk-feuds-with-trump-00391651 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250725064325/https://www.politico.com/news/2025/06/06/a-doge-architect-leaves-the-movement-after-musk-feuds-with-trump-00391651 |archive-date=2025-07-25 |access-date=29 August 2025 |publisher=Politico}}</ref> | [[#compilation-Fortune|<sup>[e]</sup>]] |- <!-- added back on 2026-05-08 --> | {{sortname cell|Justin|Fox|Justin Fox (DOGE employee)}}{{anchor|JustinFox}} | | GSA | Finance{{dash}}Nexus Capital Management | Detailed: NLRB, USADF, IAF, NEH, USIP, the Wilson Center, MEC, etc.<ref name="beyond-executive-branch" />In deposition, struggled to define DEI<ref name="DOGE-inside-look">{{Cite web |last=Binder |first=Matt |date=2026-03-13 |title=Former DOGE employees give an inside look at the Elon Musk-led agency |url=https://mashable.com/article/former-doge-employees-deposition-inside-look-elon-musk-agency |access-date=2026-03-27 |work=Mashable}}</ref> | |- | {{sortname cell|Joseph Nicholas "Joe"|Gebbia|Joe Gebbia}}{{anchor|Gebbia}} | Ally<ref>{{Cite news |last=Baio |first=Ariana |date=14 February 2025 |title=Airbnb's co-founder is joining Elon Musk's DOGE |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/aribnb-elon-musk-doge-joe-gebbia-b2698435.html |access-date=17 February 2025 |work=The Independent |archive-date=16 February 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250216160647/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/aribnb-elon-musk-doge-joe-gebbia-b2698435.html |url-status=live }}</ref> | OPM (Feb{{ndash}}Aug 2025); National Design Studio chief design officer (Aug 2025{{ndash}})<ref name="DOGE-operatives-NDS">{{Cite magazine| issn=1059-1028| last=Kelly| first=Makena| title=DOGE Operatives Are Joining Donald Trump's New National Design Studio| magazine=Wired| access-date=2025-08-31| url=https://www.wired.com/story/doge-operatives-joining-national-design-studio/| archive-date=2025-08-30| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250830221558/https://www.wired.com/story/doge-operatives-joining-national-design-studio/| url-status=live}}</ref> | Musk{{dash}}Tesla board;<ref>{{Cite news | last1=Nishant | first1=Niket | last2=Sriram | first2=Akash | title=Tesla adds billionaire Airbnb co-founder Gebbia to board | url=https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/tesla-adds-airbnb-co-founder-gebbia-board-2022-09-28/ | work=Reuters | date=September 28, 2022 | archive-date=September 29, 2022 | access-date=September 29, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220929180340/https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/tesla-adds-airbnb-co-founder-gebbia-board-2022-09-28/ | url-status=live }}</ref> Trump{{dash}}supports Robert Kennedy Jr<ref name="nyt-sn-doge-gebbia-25">{{cite news |last1=Schleifer |first1=Theodore |last2=Nehamas |first2=Nicholas |title=Billionaire Airbnb Co-Founder Is Said to Take Role in Musk's Government Initiative |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/13/us/politics/airbnb-joe-gebbia-musk-doge.html |access-date=14 February 2025 |work=The New York Times |date=2025-02-13}}</ref> | Appeared on Fox News<ref name="DOGE-new-faces" /><ref name="DOGE-staffers-interview" /> rolled out OPM's fully digital retirement application system; left to lead new National Design Studio<ref>{{Cite web| last=Heckman| first=Jory| title=Trump taps DOGE-aligned tech leader to overhaul federal websites| access-date=2025-08-28| date=2025-08-25| url=https://federalnewsnetwork.com/it-modernization/2025/08/trump-taps-doge-aligned-tech-leader-to-overhaul-federal-websites/| archive-date=2025-08-25| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250825233707/https://federalnewsnetwork.com/it-modernization/2025/08/trump-taps-doge-aligned-tech-leader-to-overhaul-federal-websites/| url-status=live}}</ref> | [[#compilation-NYT|<sup>[d]</sup>]] |- | {{sortname cell|Amy|Gleason}}{{anchor|Gleason}} | Leadership{{ndash}}DOGE leader | USDS acting administrator | Smith{{dash}}Russell Street Ventures;<ref>{{cite web| last1=Watson| first1=Kathryn| last2=Kaplan| first2=Michael| date=February 25, 2025| work=CBS News| title=This is who the White House says is the DOGE acting administrator| url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/this-is-who-the-white-house-says-is-in-charge-of-doge/| access-date=May 4, 2025| archive-date=May 5, 2025| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250505070303/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/this-is-who-the-white-house-says-is-in-charge-of-doge/| url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web| last=Stephenson| first=Cassandra| title=Former Aspire Health CEO Brad Smith launches firm to create, grow healthcare companies| work=The Tennessean| access-date=2025-04-04| url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/money/2021/03/02/former-aspire-health-ceo-launches-healthcare-firm-russell-street-ventures/6872168002/}}</ref> Trump{{dash}}USDS | Nominally over both USDS and USDSTO and reports to Susie Wiles | [[#compilation-TechCrunch-updated|<sup>[c]</sup>]][[#compilation-NYT|<sup>[d]</sup>]] |- | {{sortname cell|Antonio|Gracias}}{{anchor|Gracias}} | Ally | SSA | Musk{{dash}}old friend, Tesla and SpaceX early investor, America PAC funder; Trump{{dash}}transition | Involved in the SSA takeover;<ref name="SSA-chaotic-takeover" /> pushed anti-immigrant myths in media and townhall<ref name="DOGE-voter-fraud">{{Cite news| last=Fowler| first=Stephen| title=How DOGE may have improperly used Social Security data to push voter fraud narratives| work=NPR| access-date=2025-04-11| date=2025-04-11| url=https://www.npr.org/2025/04/11/nx-s1-5352470/doge-musk-social-security-voting| archive-date=2025-04-11| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250411093414/https://www.npr.org/2025/04/11/nx-s1-5352470/doge-musk-social-security-voting| url-status=live}}</ref> |[[#compilation-ProPublica|<sup>[a]</sup>]][[#compilation-NYT|<sup>[d]</sup>]][[#compilation-Bloomberg-Musk|<sup>[j]</sup>]] |- | {{sortname cell|Michael|Grimes|Michael Grimes (investment banker)}}{{anchor|Grimes}} | Ally[[#compilation-NYT|<sup>[d]</sup>]] | DOC advisor | Musk{{dash}}Twitter acquisition; Morgan Stanley | Expected to lead the new sovereign fund<ref>{{Cite web| title=US to Name Morgan Stanley Banker Michael Grimes to Lead Sovereign Wealth Fund - Bloomberg| website=Bloomberg News| access-date=2025-03-09| url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-03-06/us-to-name-morgan-stanley-banker-to-lead-sovereign-wealth-fund}}</ref> |[[#compilation-ProPublica|<sup>[a]</sup>]][[#compilation-Bloomberg-Musk|<sup>[j]</sup>]][[#compilation-NYT|<sup>[d]</sup>]] |- |- | {{sortname cell|Adam|Hoffman}}{{anchor|Hoffman}} | Executive[[#compilation-ProPublica|<sup>[a]</sup>]] | National Security DOGE Leader | Musk – Citadel LLC, financial firm with investments in X and Tesla | Led efforts across national security apparatus; left at the end of 2025 to work for Kushner's Gaza taskforce <ref name="Bloomberg">{{Cite news |title=Musk's DOGE hires Ken Griffin staffer for national security work |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-03-19/musk-s-doge-hires-ken-griffin-staffer-for-national-security-work}}</ref><ref name="Guardian">{{Cite news |title=Gaza rebuild: US contractors |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/14/gaza-rebuild-us-contractors}}</ref> | [[#compilation-ProPublica|<sup>[a]</sup>]] |- | {{sortname cell|Jared|Isaacman}}{{anchor|Isaacman}} | Ally | NASA administrator<ref>{{Cite web| title=Billionaire Jared Isaacman, an Elon Musk ally, confirmed as Nasa chief| access-date=2026-01-20| date=2025-12-17| url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5ydvlx28kwo}}</ref> | Musk{{dash}}SpaceX | Nomination pulled after the Trump–Musk feud<ref>{{Cite web| last=Levy| first=Ari| title=After Trump pulled NASA nomination, Musk ally Jared Isaacman says stint in politics was 'thrilling'| work=CNBC| access-date=2025-06-09| date=2025-06-04| url=https://www.cnbc.com/2025/06/04/musk-ally-isaacman-trump-ex-nasa-pick-says-politics-was-thrilling.html| archive-date=2025-06-09| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250609215547/https://www.cnbc.com/2025/06/04/musk-ally-isaacman-trump-ex-nasa-pick-says-politics-was-thrilling.html| url-status=live}}</ref> then reupped<ref>{{Cite web| author1=Mike Wall| title=Trump renominates billionaire Jared Isaacman for NASA chief in major reversal| work=Space| access-date=2025-12-01| date=2025-11-05| url=https://www.space.com/space-exploration/trump-nominates-billionaire-jared-isaacman-for-nasa-chief-again}}</ref> | [[#compilation-Bloomberg-Musk|<sup>[j]</sup>]] |- | {{sortname cell|Gavin Ian|Kliger|Gavin Kliger}}{{anchor|Kliger}} | Tech{{dash}}engineer | CFPB senior advisor to the Director, OPM, USAID, IRS | Musk{{dash}}Tesla stock owner; Edgelord past; Ron Unz fan; Databricks: disclosed 1–5M in Databricks; LinkedIn | Manually blocked USAID payments authorized by Rubio; CFPB: abuse toward other CFPB employees; potential conflict of interest<ref>{{Cite web| title=DOGE Aide Dismantling CFPB Owns Stock in Companies That Could Benefit From Cuts| publisher=ProPublica| date=29 April 2025| access-date=2025-04-30| url=https://www.propublica.org/article/doge-consumer-financial-protection-bureau-gavin-kliger-stock| archive-date=2025-04-30| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250430015348/https://www.propublica.org/article/doge-consumer-financial-protection-bureau-gavin-kliger-stock| url-status=live}}</ref> | [[#compilation-ProPublica|<sup>[a]</sup>]][[#compilation-NYT|<sup>[d]</sup>]][[#compilation-TechCrunch-updated|<sup>[c]</sup>]] |- | {{sortname cell|Tom|Krause|Tom Krause (business executive)}}{{anchor|Krause}} | | USDT acting Fiscal Assistant Secretary of the Treasury (Feb{{ndash}}Jun 2025)<ref>{{Cite web| last=Millward| first=Wade Tyler| title=Citrix Parent CEO Krause Leaves DOGE, US Treasury Posts| access-date=2025-06-22| url=https://www.crn.com/news/cloud/2025/citrix-parent-ceo-krause-leaves-doge-us-treasury-post| archive-date=2025-06-22| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250622143127/https://www.crn.com/news/cloud/2025/citrix-parent-ceo-krause-leaves-doge-us-treasury-post| url-status=live}}</ref> | Musk{{dash}}Citrix and Twitter share underwriter; still CEO of Cloud Software Group, where he axed thousands of jobs, some leading to security weaknesses<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Elon Musk's man in the Treasury Is Still Holding Down His Day Job as Software CEO |url=https://www.wired.com/story/musk-krause-treasury-bfs-conflict-of-interest/ |magazine=Wired |access-date=February 14, 2025 |last1=Elliott |first1=Vittoria }}</ref>[[ #compilation-TechCrunch-updated|<sup>[g]</sup>]]<ref>{{Cite web| title=Ex-employees say Tom Krause, tapped by Musk to overhaul Treasury, was a 'hatchet man'| work=ABC News| access-date=2025-04-04| url=https://abcnews.go.com/Business/employees-tom-krause-tapped-musk-overhaul-treasury-hatchet/story?id=118647158}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web| last=Tkacik| first=Maureen| title=The Private Equity Hatchet Man Leading the Lost Boys of DOGE| work=The American Prospect| access-date=2025-04-04| date=2025-02-06| url=https://prospect.org/api/content/06283210-e4cd-11ef-83ec-12163087a831/}}</ref> | Granted access to Bureau of Fiscal Services system;<ref name="DOGE-IRS-data">{{Cite web| last=Brodkin| first=Jon| title=Judge lets four more DOGE employees access US Treasury payment systems| work=Ars Technica| access-date=2025-09-02| date=2025-05-28| url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/05/judge-lets-four-more-doge-employees-access-us-treasury-payment-systems/| archive-date=2025-08-03| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250803134944/https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/05/judge-lets-four-more-doge-employees-access-us-treasury-payment-systems/| url-status=live}}</ref> appeared on Fox News; involved in USAID's dismantlement; disclosed interests conflicting with USDT<ref name="DOGE-bank-holdings">{{Cite web| title='Glaring red flag': Treasury DOGE team reveals bank holdings| work=Politico| access-date=2025-08-21| date=2025-05-14| url=https://www.politico.com/news/2025/05/14/treasury-doge-disclosures-bank-stocks-00347972| archive-date=2025-07-08| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250708163644/https://www.politico.com/news/2025/05/14/treasury-doge-disclosures-bank-stocks-00347972| url-status=live}}</ref> | [[#compilation-ProPublica|<sup>[a]</sup>]][[#compilation-Bloomberg-Musk|<sup>[j]</sup>]][[#Hill|<sup>[a]</sup>]][[#compilation-NYT|<sup>[d]</sup>]][[#compilation-TechCrunch-updated|<sup>[c]</sup>]] |- | Michael Kratsios{{anchor|Kratsios}} | Ally{{dash}}recruiter | | Trump{{dash}}Chief Tech Officer in the first administration, wrote the 2020 pro-AI investment executive order; Thiel{{dash}}Thiel Capital<ref name="Andreessen-Longsdale-VCs">{{Cite web| first1=Julie| last1=Bort| first2=Maxwell| last2=Zeff| title=Marc Andreessen, Joe Lonsdale, and all the other VCs reportedly in the running for DOGE and other Trump committees| work=TechCrunch| access-date=2025-04-04| date=2024-11-27| url=https://techcrunch.com/2024/11/27/marc-andreessen-joe-londsale-and-all-the-other-vcs-reportedly-in-the-running-for-new-trump-committees/| archive-date=2025-04-04| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250404192008/https://techcrunch.com/2024/11/27/marc-andreessen-joe-londsale-and-all-the-other-vcs-reportedly-in-the-running-for-new-trump-committees/| url-status=live}}</ref> | Helped find the DOGE core members | [[#compilation-TechCrunch-updated|<sup>[c]</sup>]][[#compilation-Bloomberg-Thiel|<sup>[f]</sup>]] |- | {{sortname cell|Jeremy|Lewin}}{{anchor|Lewin}} | Lawyer | USAID chief operating officer; received $167,000 from GSA;<ref name="DOGE-six-figure-salaries" /> DOS acting head of foreign assistance (April 2025)<ref>{{Cite news| title=DOGE staffer appointed as acting head of US State Dept foreign assistance office| publisher=Reuters| access-date=2025-08-26| url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/doge-staffer-appointed-acting-head-us-state-dept-foreign-assistance-office-2025-04-15/}}</ref> | Musk{{dash}}Munger, Tolles & Olson (Tesla); Trump{{dash}}defended Matt Gaetz<ref name="DOGE-at-USAID" /> | Authorized USAID shutdown; overrode 58 objections to grant the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation $30 million<ref name="Landay-20250710">{{Cite news| last=Landay| first=Jonathan| title=Former DOGE official rushed grant to Trump-backed Gaza aid group over staff objections| work=Reuters| access-date=2025-07-10| date=2025-07-10| url=https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/former-doge-official-rushed-grant-trump-backed-gaza-aid-group-over-staff-2025-07-09/| quote=[Lewin] acknowledged that authorizing the funds would be controversial, writing: "I'm taking the bullet on this one."}}</ref> racism and violence issues<ref name="Musk-USAID-stooge">{{Cite magazine |title=Elon Musk's New USAID Stooge Once Threatened to Gut a Girl |url=https://newrepublic.com/post/193429/elon-musk-usaid-head-disturbing-history |access-date=2025-04-02 |magazine=The New Republic |issn=0028-6583 |archive-date=2025-04-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250402063956/https://newrepublic.com/post/193429/elon-musk-usaid-head-disturbing-history |url-status=live }}</ref> | [[#compilation-ProPublica|<sup>[a]</sup>]][[#Politico-legal-army|<sup>[j]</sup>]][[#compilation-NYT|<sup>[d]</sup>]][[#compilation-TechCrunch-updated|<sup>[c]</sup>]] |- | {{sortname cell|Katie|Miller}}{{anchor|Miller}} | Leadership{{dash}}spokesperson (Jan-May 2025) | | Trump{{dash}}Mike Pence press secretary during the first administration, wife of White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller<ref>{{cite news |last=Chalfant|first=Morgan|date=September 19, 2019|title=Pence taps former DHS press aide as new press secretary|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/462158-pence-taps-former-dhs-spokeswoman-as-his-new-press-secretary|work=The Hill|access-date=December 13, 2019}}</ref> | SSA takeover;<ref name="SSA-chaotic-takeover" /> left to work with Musk on May 25, 2025<ref name="Musk-leaving-DOGE" /> | [[#compilation-ProPublica|<sup>[a]</sup>]][[#compilation-NYT|<sup>[d]</sup>]][[#compilation-TechCrunch-updated|<sup>[c]</sup>]] |- | {{sortname cell|Aram|Moghaddassi}}{{anchor|Moghaddassi}} | Executive | SSA chief information officer<ref name="DOGE-2.0" /> | Musk{{dash}}Neuralink, Twitter | Detailed at DOL; appeared on Fox News; froze aid payments at USDT<ref name="nyt-treasury-drs-25">{{cite news| last1=Duehren| first1=Andrew| last2=Rappeport| first2=Alan| last3=Schleifer| first3=Theodore| date=6 February 2025| title=Treasury Sought to Freeze Foreign Aid Payments, Emails Show| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/06/us/politics/trump-musk-usaid.html| access-date=6 February 2025| work=The New York Times| archive-date=13 February 2025| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250213094301/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/06/us/politics/trump-musk-usaid.html| url-status=live}}</ref> granted access to USCIS databases<ref name="DOGE-at-USCIS" /> | [[#compilation-ProPublica|<sup>[a]</sup>]][[#compilation-TechCrunch-updated|<sup>[c]</sup>]][[#compilation-Bloomberg-Musk|<sup>[j]</sup>]] |- | {{sortname cell|Elon|Musk}}{{anchor|Musk}} | Leadership{{dash}}''de facto'' leader | Senior advisor to the president (Sep 2024{{ndash}}May 2025) | Trump{{dash}}spent $290 million to elect him, spent weeks at Mar-a-Lago | Authored an op-ed;<ref name="WSJ-op-ed" /> involved in the SSA takeover;<ref name="SSA-chaotic-takeover" /> appeared on Fox News five times;<ref name="Gold-20250420" /> resigned in May<ref>{{Cite web| title=Elon Musk finally meets the press and compares himself to Buddha| website=CNN| date=May 2025| access-date=2025-05-04| url=https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/01/business/elon-musk-doge-interview-buddha-comparison| archive-date=2025-05-04| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250504060320/https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/01/business/elon-musk-doge-interview-buddha-comparison| url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Musk-leaving-DOGE" /> | [[#compilation-ProPublica|<sup>[a]</sup>]][[#compilation-TechCrunch-updated|<sup>[c]</sup>]] |- | {{sortname cell|Vivek|Ramaswamy}}{{anchor|Ramaswamy}} | Leadership{{dash}}co-leader | DOGE (Nov 2024{{ndash}}Feb 2025) | Startup{{dash}}Roivant Sciences;Thiel{{dash}}Strive<ref>{{Cite web| last=Hyatt| first=John| title=How Vivek Ramaswamy, Newly Named Co-Head Of Donald Trump's DOGE, Became A Billionaire| work=Forbes| access-date=2025-08-28| url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnhyatt/2024/11/13/how-vivek-ramaswamy-became-a-billionaire/}}</ref> Trump{{dash}}endorsed his Republican nomination, endorsed by him | Authored a ''Wall Street Journal'' op-ed;<ref name="WSJ-op-ed">{{Cite web| first1=Elon| last1=Musk| first2=Vivek| last2=Ramaswamy| title=The DOGE Plan to Reform Government| work=The Wall Street Journal| access-date=2025-04-22| date=2024-11-20| url=https://www.wsj.com/opinion/musk-and-ramaswamy-the-doge-plan-to-reform-government-supreme-court-guidance-end-executive-power-grab-fa51c020| archive-date=2025-03-06| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250306045857/https://www.wsj.com/opinion/musk-and-ramaswamy-the-doge-plan-to-reform-government-supreme-court-guidance-end-executive-power-grab-fa51c020| url-status=live}}</ref> recruited first candidates; lobbied Vought;<ref name="DOGE-team-for-war">{{Cite news |last1=Dwoskin| first1=Elizabeth| last2=Stein| first2=Jeff| last3=Bogage|first3=Jacob| last4=Siddiqui| first4=Faiz| date=2024-11-24 |title=Musk and Ramaswamy race to build a 'DOGE' team for war with Washington|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/11/24/musk-ramaswamy-doge-trump/|url-status=live| archive-url=https://archive.today/20241125141754/https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/11/24/musk-ramaswamy-doge-trump/| archive-date=2024-11-25 |access-date=2025-02-18 |newspaper=Washington Post}}</ref> left on January 20, 2025<ref>{{Cite web| title=Ramaswamy won't serve on Trump's government efficiency commission as he mulls run for Ohio governor| work=AP News| access-date=2025-08-28| date=2025-01-20| url=https://apnews.com/article/vivek-ramaswamy-doge-ohio-governor-musk-trump-328400a5cc47adde8dd97eb628d18164| archive-date=2025-02-06| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250206233716/https://apnews.com/article/vivek-ramaswamy-doge-ohio-governor-musk-trump-328400a5cc47adde8dd97eb628d18164| url-status=live}}</ref> | |- | {{sortname cell|Rachel|Riley|Rachel Riley (consultant)}}{{anchor|Riley}} | Executive | HHS senior advisor({{ndash}}Mar 2025) | Smith{{dash}}colleague; McKinsey & Company | Requested access to Medicare payment systems; declared a stake in Patriot Family Homes;<ref>{{Cite web| title=UVA Grad Joe Riley Works to House Military Families| access-date=2025-03-30| date=2020-09-21| url=https://news.virginia.edu/content/uva-grad-joe-riley-works-house-military-families| archive-date=2025-08-22| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250822110803/https://news.virginia.edu/content/uva-grad-joe-riley-works-house-military-families| url-status=live}}</ref> resigned in March, 2025; replaced the admiral in charge of the Office of Naval Research in October<ref>{{Cite web| last=Ceder| first=Riley| title=Navy replaces admiral leading naval research with former DOGE staffer| work=Navy Times| access-date=2025-11-01| date=2025-10-30| url=https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2025/10/30/navy-replaces-admiral-leading-naval-research-with-former-doge-staffer/}}</ref> | [[#compilation-ProPublica|<sup>[a]</sup>]][[#compilation-NYT|<sup>[b]</sup>]][[#compilation-NYT|<sup>[d]</sup>]][[#compilation-Bloomberg-Musk|<sup>[j]</sup>]] |- | {{sortname cell|Gary|Shapley}}{{anchor|Shapley}} | | IRS acting administrator ({{ndash}}Apr 2025) | Trump{{dash}}first administration | Put into the role by Musk without having consulted with Trump or Scott Bessent; fired, and replaced by Michael Faulkender<ref>{{Cite web| title=Trump is replacing the acting IRS commissioner, part of a dispute between Treasury and Elon Musk| work=NBC News| access-date=2025-04-19| date=2025-04-18| url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/trump-replacing-acting-irs-commissioner-rcna201907}}</ref> | |- | {{sortname cell|Thomas|Shedd}}{{anchor|Shedd}} | Ally[[#compilation-NYT|<sup>[d]</sup>]] | GSA (TTS acting director),<ref name="GSA-announcement">{{cite web | url=https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/newsroom/news-releases/gsa-announces-new-commissioners-tts-director-and-general-counsel-01242025 | title=GSA announces new Commissioners, TTS Director, and General Counsel | website=U.S. General Services Administration | date=2025-01-24 | access-date=2025-02-08 | archive-date=2025-02-13 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250213183630/https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/newsroom/news-releases/gsa-announces-new-commissioners-tts-director-and-general-counsel-01242025 | url-status=live }}</ref> chief information officer (DOL) | Musk{{dash}}Tesla engineer | Lead ai.gov | [[#compilation-ProPublica|<sup>[a]</sup>]][[#compilation-TechCrunch-updated|<sup>[c]</sup>]][[#compilation-NYT|<sup>[d]</sup>]][[#compilation-Bloomberg-Musk|<sup>[j]</sup>]] |- | {{sortname cell|Russ|Vought|Russell Vought}}{{anchor|Vought}} | Ally{{dash}}[[#compilation-NYT|<sup>[d]</sup>]]<ref name="Musk-Vought-alliance">{{Cite web| last=Messerly| first=Megan| title=Inside Elon Musk and Russ Vought's quiet alliance| work=POLITICO| access-date=2025-03-25| date=2025-03-24| url=https://www.politico.com/news/2025/03/24/inside-elon-musk-and-russ-voughts-quiet-alliance-00243290| quote=The line between where the work of Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency stops and the work of Vought’s Office of Management and Budget begins is blurry — even to people close to the efforts. But in practice, it’s been working something like this: Musk’s army makes very public incursions into agencies and ferrets through data using artificial intelligence and other technology to identify allegedly wasteful spending while Musk handles the public relations campaign on X and amplifies their findings. Vought's OMB, meanwhile, brings the technical tools and expertise to figure out, one, whether the concerns DOGE raises are actually problems and, two, what to do with them.}}</ref> administrative guide<ref>{{Cite web| last=Kroll| first=Andy| title=Russell Vought, Trump's Shadow President| work=ProPublica| access-date=2026-02-14| date=2025-10-17| url=https://www.propublica.org/article/russ-vought-trump-shadow-president-omb| quote=DOGE's efforts were guided, more than was previously known, by the OMB director.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web| last=Coppins| first=McKay| title=The Visionary of Trump 2.0| work=The Atlantic| access-date=2026-05-21| date=2025-05-16| url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2025/05/russell-vought-trump-doge/682821/| quote=Behind all the DOGE pyrotechnics, Vought—who serves as director of the Office of Management and Budget—is working methodically to advance a sophisticated ideological project decades in the making.}}</ref> | OMB acting director | Trump{{dash}}same role under the first administration; Center for Renewing America<ref>{{Cite news| title=The Real Mastermind Behind Trump's Imperial Presidency| work=Bloomberg.com| access-date=2025-05-02| url=https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2025-russell-vought-doge-musk-trump/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250426202050/https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2025-russell-vought-doge-musk-trump/ |archive-date=April 26, 2025}}</ref> | Shut down CFPB<ref name="Vought-CFPB-head">{{Cite web |last=Egan |first=Matt |date=2025-02-08 |title=OMB head Russell Vought takes over as CFPB as acting head, DOGE team deletes X account |url=https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/08/business/cfpb-doge-vought-x/index.html |access-date=2025-03-15 |work=CNN}}</ref> | |- | {{sortname cell|Owen|West|}}{{anchor|West}} | | DOD | Trump{{dash}}assistant secretary of defense in first administration; Goldman Sachs former financial analyst | Involved in push for US drone dominance<ref name="HL">{{Cite news |last=Lamothe |first=Dan |date=2025-07-15 |title=Hegseth lashed out at DOGE official in tense Pentagon confrontation |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/07/15/hegseth-doge-justin-fulcher-yinon-weiss/ |access-date=2025-07-16 |newspaper=The Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286 |archive-date=2025-07-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250716024908/https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/07/15/hegseth-doge-justin-fulcher-yinon-weiss/ |url-status=live }}</ref> | |}
==Note==
{{Notelist|nb}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [https://dogetrack.info/all/people/ DOGE Track] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250603184712/https://dogetrack.info/all/people/ |date=2025-06-03 }} gathered public details on DOGE operatives * [https://therevolvingdoorproject.org/doge-staff-attacks-federal-government/ The Revolving Door Project] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250803222240/https://therevolvingdoorproject.org/doge-staff-attacks-federal-government/ |date=2025-08-03 }} consolidated information of many trackers
Category:Department of Government Efficiency Category:Political activities of Elon Musk
{{United States Department of Government Efficiency|state=expanded}} {{Elon Musk}} {{Second presidency of Donald Trump}} {{subject bar|auto=0}} {{Authority control}}
Category:American organizations established in 2025 Category:Second Trump administration controversies Category:Privacy controversies