{{Short description|Deputy Administrator of the GSA, a US agency}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Stephen Ehikian | image = Stephen Ehikian, Acting Administrator and Deputy Administrator of the General Services Administration (GSA) by appointment.jpg | caption = Ehikian in 2025 | office = Administrator of General Services<ref>{{cite web |title=Past and present administrators |url=https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/organization/office-of-the-administrator/past-and-present-administrators |website=U.S. General Services Administration |access-date=30 August 2025 |language=en}}</ref> | president = Donald Trump | term_label = Acting | term_start = January 20, 2025 | term_end = July 21, 2025 | predecessor = Robin Carnahan | successor = Michael Rigas (acting) | office1 = Deputy Administrator of the General Services Administration<ref>{{cite web |title=Deputy Administrator: Stephen Ehikian |url=https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/organization/leadership-directory/deputy-administrator |website=U.S. General Services Administration |access-date=30 August 2025}}</ref> | president1 = Donald Trump | term_start1 = January 20, 2025 | term_end1 = September 2, 2025 | predecessor1 = Katy Kale | birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1980}} or {{Birth year and age|1981}} | alma_mater = {{plainlist| * Yale University (B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and Economics) * Stanford University (MBA) }} | occupation = CEO of C3.ai; entrepreneur | known_for = Co-founder and CEO of Airkit; leadership roles at Salesforce; GSA Administrator }}
'''Stephen Ehikian''' (born {{birth based on age as of date |44|2025|March|13|noage=yes}})<ref name=wp250723/> is the chief executive officer of C3 AI, an enterprise artificial intelligence company, and a former government official during the Trump administration between January and September 2025. Ehikian was appointed Acting Administrator and Deputy Administrator of the General Services Administration (GSA) on January 21, 2025.<ref name="gsa.gov">{{cite web |title=Stephen Ehikian appointed Acting Administrator and Deputy Administrator of the General Services Administration |url=https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/newsroom/news-releases/stephen-ehikian-appointed-acting-administrator-and-deputy-administrator-of-gsa-01222025 |website=U.S. General Services Administration |access-date=31 August 2025 |language=en |date=22 January 2025}}</ref> In March 2025, he delegated the responsibilities of deputy administrator to senior adviser Mike Lynch.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Heckman |first1=Jory |title=Stephen Ehikian appointed Acting Administrator and Deputy Administrator of the General Services Administration |url=https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/newsroom/news-releases/stephen-ehikian-appointed-acting-administrator-and-deputy-administrator-of-gsa-01222025 |website=U.S. General Services Administration |access-date=31 August 2025 |language=en |date=22 January 2025}}</ref> In July 2025, he was replaced as acting administrator by Michael Rigas, but remained at GSA in his role as deputy administrator.<ref>{{cite web |last1=CAI |first1=Sophia |title=Trump installs new GSA acting administrator, sidelines DOGE leaders |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/21/trump-installs-new-gsa-acting-administrator-sidelines-doge-leaders-00465468 |website=Politico |access-date=31 August 2025 |date=21 July 2025}}</ref> Prior to GSA, Ehikian was the Vice President of AI Products at Salesforce and cofounded a startup named Airkit.ai.<ref>{{cite web |title=Stephen Ehikian appointed Acting Administrator and Deputy Administrator of the General Services Administration |url=https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/newsroom/news-releases/stephen-ehikian-appointed-acting-administrator-and-deputy-administrator-of-gsa-01222025 |website=U.S. General Services Administration |language=en |date=22 January 2025}}</ref>
On September 2, 2025, Ehikian announced that he would be stepping down from his role as GSA deputy administrator.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Heckman |first1=Jory |title=GSA deputy Stephen Ehikian to 'transition out' of current role |url=https://federalnewsnetwork.com/people/2025/09/gsa-deputy-stephen-ehikian-to-transition-out-of-current-role/ |website=Federal News Network |access-date=3 September 2025 |date=3 September 2025}}</ref> On September 3, C3 AI announced that Ehikian had been appointed CEO effective September 1.<ref>{{cite web |title=C3 AI Appoints Stephen Ehikian as Chief Executive Officer |url=https://c3.ai/c3-ai-appoints-stephen-ehikian-as-chief-executive-officer/ |website=C3 AI |access-date=4 September 2025 |date=3 September 2025}}</ref>
== Education and early career == Stephen Ehikian obtained undergraduate degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Economics from Yale University.<ref>{{cite web |title=Stephen Ehikian appointed Acting Administrator and Deputy Administrator of the General Services Administration |url=https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/newsroom/news-releases/stephen-ehikian-appointed-acting-administrator-and-deputy-administrator-of-gsa-01222025 |website=GSA.gov |publisher=U.S. General Services Administration |date=January 22, 2025 |access-date=August 30, 2025}}</ref><ref name="FedScoop">{{cite web |title=GSA taps former Salesforce VP as acting and deputy administrator |url=https://fedscoop.com/gsa-taps-former-salesforce-vp-as-acting-and-deputy-administrator/ |website=FedScoop |date=January 22, 2025 |access-date=August 30, 2025}}</ref> He later obtained a Master of Business Administration degree from the Stanford Graduate School of Business,<ref>{{cite web |title=Deputy Administrator |url=https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/organization/leadership-directory/deputy-administrator |website=GSA.gov |publisher=U.S. General Services Administration |date=July 21, 2025 |access-date=August 30, 2025}}</ref> which he pursued jointly with a master of science degree in Environment and Resources.<ref>{{cite web |title=Stanford University Emmett Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources Newsletter |url=https://pangea.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/eiper-archive/newsletters/E-IPER_newsletter_autumn_10.html |website=Stanford University |access-date=31 August 2025}}</ref>
Early in his career, Ehikian worked in the finance sector with positions at Morgan Stanley, Westbrook Partners, and SRS Investment Management.<ref name="FedScoop"/>
Ehikian is from Atherton, California.<ref>{{cite web |title=Delivering Customer Experience Amidst COVID-19 |url=https://dojo.live/interviews/customer-experience-covid19-airkit/ |website=www.dojo.live |access-date=31 August 2025}}</ref> He is married to Andrea Conway, who was a designer at X.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Elliott |first1=Vittoria |title=We mapped DOGE's Silicon Valley and corporate connections |url=https://link.wired.com/public/39193108 |magazine=Wired |access-date=31 August 2025}}</ref> His brother is Brad Ehikian, partner at Palo Alto-based commercial real estate firm Premier Properties.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Martin |first1=Asia |title=Bay Area developer lowballed GSA in bid for federal building |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/news/2025/03/19/gsa-menlo-park-ehikian-market-rate-cre-property.html |website=Silicon Valley Business Journal |date=19 March 2025 |access-date=31 August 2025}}</ref>
==Business career==
===RelateIQ=== After completing his MBA, Ehikian served as COO of startup RelateIQ,<ref>{{cite web |title=Digital CX Startup Airkit Launches |url=https://www.nojitter.com/customer-experience/digital-cx-startup-airkit-launches |website=No Jitter |access-date=31 August 2025 |language=en |date=5 October 2020}}</ref> which was founded by Palantir alumni Steve Loughlin and Adam Evans in 2011.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kim |first1=Eugene |title=Salesforce bought this startup for $390 million last year — and now it may finally grab the spotlight |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/salesforce-acquisition-relateiq-2015-9 |website=Business Insider |access-date=31 August 2025}}</ref> RelateIQ was a sales-intelligence startup that automatically captured data from email, calendar, phone records, and other communications to provide real-time insights and recommendations for managing customer relationships.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Novet |first1=Jordan |title=RelateIQ: The startup that turns salespeople's data crumbs into gold |url=https://venturebeat.com/cloud/relateiq/ |website=VentureBeat |date=23 April 2014}}</ref>
RelateIQ raised $9 million in Series A funding from investors Accel, Morgenthaler, and SV Angel.<ref name="TechCrunch">{{cite web |last1=Empson |first1=Rip |title=RelateIQ Launches With $29M From Formation 8, Dustin Moskovitz And More To Be Your Next-Gen Relationship Manager |url=https://techcrunch.com/2013/06/12/relateiq-launches-with-29m-from-formation-8-dustin-moskovitz-and-more-to-be-your-next-gen-relationship-manager/ |website=TechCrunch |access-date=31 August 2025 |date=13 June 2013}}</ref> It emerged out of stealth in June 2013, announcing a $20 million Series B round led by Formation 8 (Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale’s venture capital firm) and Accel.<ref name="TechCrunch" /> It then raised a $40 million Series C round in March 2014 at a $245 million valuation.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Rao |first1=Leena |title=Enterprise Relationship Manager RelateIQ Raises $40M |url=https://techcrunch.com/2014/03/25/enterprise-relationship-manager-relateiq-raises-40m/ |website=TechCrunch |access-date=31 August 2025 |date=25 March 2014}}</ref> In July 2014, Salesforce acquired RelateIQ in a stock swap transaction valued at $350 million in Salesforce shares, plus $40 million from RelateIQ’s cash balance, for a total acquisition price of $390 million.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Shieber |first1=Jonathan |title=Salesforce Buys Big Data Startup RelateIQ For Up To $390M |url=https://techcrunch.com/2014/07/11/salesforce-buys-big-data-startup-relateiq-for-up-to-390m/ |website=TechCrunch |access-date=31 August 2025 |date=11 July 2014}}</ref> Ehikian and Evans continued working at Salesforce post-acquisition.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bosilkovski |first1=Igor |title=Low-Code Platform Airkit Comes Out Of Stealth And Announces $28 Million In Funding Since Inception |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/igorbosilkovski/2020/10/06/low-code-platform-airkit-comes-out-of-stealth-and-announces-28-million-in-funding-since-inception/#55e7bcff8609 |website=Forbes |access-date=31 August 2025 |language=en}}</ref>
In September 2015, as part of the 2015 Dreamforce conference, RelateIQ was rebranded as SalesforceIQ.<ref>{{cite news |last=Ungerleider |first=Neal |date=2015-09-15 |title=RELATEIQ, SALESFORCE'S $390 MILLION "SIRI FOR BUSINESS," GROWS UP |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/3051088/elasticity/relateiq-salesforces-390-million-siri-for-business-grows-up |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151005100712/https://www.fastcompany.com/3051088/elasticity/relateiq-salesforces-390-million-siri-for-business-grows-up |archive-date=2015-10-05 |accessdate=2015-09-18 |newspaper=FastCompany}}</ref> On March 13, 2020, the SalesforceIQ product was retired.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://help.salesforceiq.com/ |accessdate=30 August 2020|title=SalesforceIQ Help Page|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200830060315/https://help.salesforceiq.com/|archive-date=2020-08-30}}</ref>
===Airkit.ai=== In 2017, Ehikian and Evans left Salesforce to co-found the startup originally known as Ruist, later rebranded as Airkit, and subsequently Airkit.ai in stealth mode. The startup offered a low-code customer engagement platform for businesses to quickly build digital customer applications and workflows without extensive coding expertise.<ref name="forbes">{{cite web |last=Bosilkovski |first=Igor |title=Low-Code Platform Airkit Comes Out Of Stealth And Announces $28 Million In Funding Since Inception |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/igorbosilkovski/2020/10/06/low-code-platform-airkit-comes-out-of-stealth-and-announces-28-million-in-funding-since-inception/ |website=Forbes |date=6 October 2020 |access-date=30 August 2025}}</ref> It charged businesses a subscription fee for the license to use its platform to build apps, and it also charged based on the volume of usage. Ehikian served as CEO and Evans as CTO.<ref name="forbes" />
Airkit emerged from stealth mode in October 2020, announcing it had raised $28 million in funding from investors Accel (by then Loughlin was a partner at Accel), Emergence Capital, and Salesforce Ventures including a $21 million Series A round in January 2020.<ref name="forbes" /> Airkit announced a $40 million Series B round led by EQT Ventures in May 2021.<ref>{{cite web |title=Airkit Raises $40M Series B from EQT Ventures as Leading Low-Code Digital Customer Experience Platform Powers Industry Push to Digital Self-Service |url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210511005286/en/Airkit-Raises-%2440M-Series-B-from-EQT-Ventures-as-Leading-Low-Code-Digital-Customer-Experience-Platform-Powers-Industry-Push-to-Digital-Self-Service |website=Business Wire |access-date=30 August 2025}}</ref>
In August 2023, the company rebranded as Airkit.ai and launched Airkit.ai eCommerce, a platform powered by ChatGPT-4 for retail brands to build autonomous customer-service AI agents.<ref>{{cite press release |title=Airkit Relaunches as Airkit.ai, Introduces AI Agent Customer Service Solution Built for eCommerce Brands |url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230816727051/en/Airkit-Relaunches-as-Airkit.ai-Introduces-AI-Agent-Customer-Service-Solution-Built-for-eCommerce-Brands |website=Business Wire |access-date=30 August 2025 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Sawers |first1=Paul |title=Salesforce to acquire Airkit.ai, a low-code platform for building AI customer service agents |url=https://techcrunch.com/2023/09/21/salesforce-airkit/ |website=TechCrunch |access-date=30 August 2025 |date=21 September 2023}}</ref> In October 2023, Salesforce signed an agreement to acquire Airkit for an undisclosed amount after which Airkit was integrated into Salesforce’s Service Cloud, with Evans continuing as head of that business unit.<ref>{{cite web |title=Salesforce Signs Definitive Agreement to Acquire Airkit.ai |url=https://www.salesforce.com/news/stories/salesforce-signs-definitive-agreement-to-acquire-airkit-ai/ |website=Salesforce News |date=16 October 2023 |access-date=30 August 2025}}</ref> As part of the acquisition Ehikian was to continue as a non-executive employee at Salesforce through February 2024 to facilitate the success of the acquisition.<ref>{{cite web |title=Salesforce Schedule 14 |url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1108524/000119312524129470/d26900dpre14a.htm |website=www.sec.gov |access-date=3 September 2025}}</ref>
Salesforce used technology from the acquisition to launch Agentforce, its platform that allows companies to build and deploy autonomous AI agents.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bort |first1=Julie |last2=Loconsolo |first2=Theresa |title=Marc Benioff says it's 'crazy talk' that AI will hurt Salesforce, wants a billion AI agents in a year |url=https://techcrunch.com/podcast/marc-benioff-says-its-crazy-talk-that-ai-will-hurt-salesforce-wants-a-billion-ai-agents-in-a-year/ |website=TechCrunch |access-date=30 August 2025 |date=29 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Salesforce's Agentforce Is Here: Trusted, Autonomous AI Agents to Scale Your Workforce |url=https://www.salesforce.com/news/press-releases/2024/10/29/agentforce-general-availability-announcement/ |website=Salesforce |access-date=30 August 2025}}</ref>
== Career as Trump administration political appointee == Ehikian was appointed Acting Administrator and Deputy Administrator of the GSA on January 21, 2025.<ref name="gsa.gov"/> As acting administrator of GSA, Ehikian oversaw federal real estate and buildings, technology services, and $110 billion in federal contracts.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2025-01-22 |title=Stephen Ehikian appointed Acting Administrator and Deputy Administrator of the General Services Administration |url=https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/newsroom/news-releases/stephen-ehikian-appointed-acting-administrator-and-deputy-administrator-of-gsa-01222025 |access-date=2025-04-03 |website=U.S. General Services Administration |language=en}}</ref> During his first week as acting administrator, Ehikian outlined his goals of relocating agencies outside of D.C., removing DEI, environmental, and climate mandates on federal building construction and GSA contractors, and downsizing GSA's building portfolio.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Miller |first=Jason |date=2025-01-20 |title=GSA's new leadership mostly comes from tech, finance sectors |url=https://federalnewsnetwork.com/people/2025/01/gsas-new-leadership-mostly-comes-from-tech-finance-sectors/ |access-date=2025-04-03 |website=federalnewsnetwork.com |language=en-US}}</ref> In February 2025, the GSA notified staff that it intended to reduce total spending by 50% across all programs and personnel.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Heckman |first1=Jory |title=GSA seeks 50% spending cuts, nonvoluntary RIF after OPM's resignation offer |url=https://federalnewsnetwork.com/hiring-retention/2025/02/gsa-seeks-50-spending-cuts-nonvoluntary-rif-after-opms-resignation-offer/ |website=Federal News Network |access-date=1 September 2025 |date=4 February 2025}}</ref>
On February 18, Ehikian appointed Frank Schuler as senior adviser, who coordinated with DOGE member Nate Cavanaugh.<ref name="Elkind-20250218">{{Cite web| last = Elkind| first = Peter| title = Trump Vowed to Clean Up Washington, Then His Team Hired a Man Who Pushed a Scam the IRS Called the "Worst of the Worst"| work = ProPublica| access-date = 2025-02-18| date = 2025-02-18| url = https://www.propublica.org/article/frank-schuler-gsa-doge-syndicated-conservation-easements-tax-scam}}</ref> ProPublica reported that Schuler had for years been promoting and profiting from "syndicated conservation easements", a tax-shelter scheme that financial authorities tried to shut down for years.<ref name="Elkind-20250218" /> At the time, Schuler's firm was battling the IRS in court for over $4 billion in disallowed charitable deductions for thousands of his clients.<ref name="Elkind-20250218" />
On April 21, 2025, Ehikian was sued as part of a lawsuit filed by Harvard University alleging its funding freezes were illegal.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/21/us/harvard-lawsuit-trump-administration.html |title=Harvard University Sues Trump Administration |date=April 21, 2025 |last=Saul |first=Stephanie |work=The New York Times |access-date=April 21, 2025}}</ref> Harvard later won the lawsuit.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Blinder|first=Alan|date=September 3, 2025|title=Judge Rules Trump Administration Illegally Canceled Harvard Funding|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/03/us/harvard-trump-funding-ruling.html|url-access=subscription|access-date=September 6, 2025}}</ref>
In July 2025, Ehikian was replaced as acting administrator by Michael Rigas and moved into a supporting deputy director role within GSA.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-07-21 |title=State Department deputy Michael Rigas tapped as acting GSA head |url=https://www.nextgov.com/people/2025/07/state-department-deputy-michael-rigas-tapped-acting-gsa-head/406869/ |access-date=2025-07-22 |website=Nextgov.com |language=en}}</ref>
===Sale of federal properties=== GSA announced the reduction of its real estate portfolio by 50%, and plans to terminate 660 building leases by the end of 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Miller |first=Jason |date=2025-03-25 |title=Two new AI tools help illuminate GSA's future state |url=https://federalnewsnetwork.com/management/2025/03/two-new-ai-tools-help-illuminate-gsas-future-state/ |access-date=2025-04-03 |website=federalnewsnetwork.com |language=en-US}}</ref> On March 4, the GSA published a list of 443 properties to be sold, including headquarters, courthouses, and 47 Social Security Administration offices.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Wiener |first1=Aaron |last2=Natanson |first2=Hannah |last3=O'Connell |first3=Jonathan |date=March 5, 2025 |title=How 443 federal properties were targeted for sale, then suddenly weren't |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2025/03/05/federal-buildings-sale-trump-gsa-chaos/ |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Irwin |first=Lauren |date=2025-03-19 |title=Here are the Social Security offices expected to close this year |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/5203770-social-security-administration-office-closures/ |access-date=2025-03-20 |work=The Hill |format=Text}}</ref> That list was edited the same day to remove about 120 properties and then taken off the GSA website the next day.<ref>{{cite web |last=Fields |first=Ashleigh |date=March 5, 2025 |title=GSA takes down list of properties it might sell |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5177750-gsa-removes-property-list/ |work=The Hill}}</ref> The public list included a previously undisclosed "highly sensitive federal complex in Springfield, Virginia" where the CIA conducts clandestine operations.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Mehrotra |first1=Dhruv |last2=Marchman |first2=Tim |last3=Feiger |first3=Leah |last4=Couts |first4=Andrew |date=March 6, 2025 |title=A Sensitive Complex Housing a CIA Facility Was on GSA's List of US Properties for Sale |url=https://www.wired.com/story/gsa-sale-cia-facility/ |magazine=Wired}}</ref> GSA has also sent out over 800 lease termination notices, followed by 117 letters rescinding some of them.<ref name=":8">{{Cite news |last=Ngo |first=Madeleine |date=March 17, 2025 |title=Some Federal Office Leases Restored After Pushback to Musk Team's Cuts |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/17/us/politics/musk-doge-lease-terminations.html |work=The New York Times}}</ref>
===Workforce reductions=== Employees at the GSA were urged to take the so-called Fork in the Road resignation offer. In late January 2025, Ehikian wrote to employees "If you do not accept the deferred resignation offer, and are later impacted by future reduction in force or consolidation efforts, this offer will generally not be available to you."<ref name="a789">{{cite web |last1=Conger |first1=Kate |last2=Ngo |first2=Madeleine |title=G.S.A. begins staff cuts, targeting probationary employees |url=https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/02/13/us/trump-news/gsa-begins-staff-cuts-targeting-probationary-employees?smid=url-share |website=The New York Times |date=12 February 2025 |access-date=2 September 2025}}</ref>
On February 4, 2025, Ehikian told employees that the deferred resignation was just the "first step in streamlining the federal workforce."<ref name="b456">{{cite web |last1=Heckman |first1=Jory |title=GSA 'losing too many key people,' as leaders pursue cuts to personnel, office space and contracts |url=https://federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/2025/02/gsa-losing-too-many-people-as-leaders-pursue-cuts-to-personnel-office-space-and-contracts/?readmore=1 |website=Federal News Network |access-date=2 September 2025 |date=12 February 2025}}</ref> He stated that "returning to office will be the next step."<ref name="b456" /> He also said the GSA was looking to close and consolidate its 11 regional offices and 700 field offices across the US.<ref name="b456" /> Employees were told to report to the office full-time starting March 3. Ehikian warned the approximately 2,000 employees who live more than 50 miles from the nearest regional office that there was a "high probability" they may be assigned to an office farther away as part of the push to reduce the GSA’s footprint.<ref name="b456" />
''The Washington Post'' noted that the messaging appeared deliberately designed to increase attrition, as employees would not know if they had been reassigned to a farther office until days after they had to decide whether to accept voluntary resignation.<ref name="m005">{{cite news | last1=Stein | first1=Jeff | last2=Dwoskin | first2=Elizabeth | last3=Natanson | first3=Hannah | last4=O'Connell | first4=Jonathan | title=In chaotic Washington blitz, Elon Musk's ultimate goal becomes clear | newspaper=The Washington Post | date=8 February 2025 | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/02/08/doge-musk-goals/ | access-date=2 September 2025}}</ref> An internal memo from May 22 noted that there were only 1,000 workstations for 1,200 employees at headquarters, and employees without a desk were told to look for "non-traditional seating options" like conference rooms and tables in the building’s atrium.<ref name="n813">{{cite web | last=Alms | first=Natalie | title=More than 2,100 GSA employees have accepted deferred resignations | website=Nextgov.com | date=22 May 2025 | url=https://www.nextgov.com/people/2025/05/more-2100-gsa-employees-have-accepted-deferred-resignations/405520/ | access-date=2 September 2025}}</ref>
In February 2025, Ehikian called for cutting GSA's largest division, the Public Building Service, by more than 3,500 employees or 63% of the total workforce.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Heckman |first=Jory |date=2025-02-26 |title=GSA's Public Buildings Service seeks 63% cut to workforce in RIF |url=https://federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/2025/02/gsas-public-buildings-service-seeks-63-cut-to-workforce-in-rif/ |access-date=2025-04-03 |website=federalnewsnetwork.com |language=en-US}}</ref> In February 2025, the GSA dismissed about 100 tech workers within its Technology Transformation Services who were in their one year probationary period and, therefore, had weaker job protections.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Alms |first1=Natalie |title=GSA to cut at least 100 employees, feds inside the agency say |url=https://www.nextgov.com/people/2025/02/gsa-cut-least-100-employees-feds-inside-agency-say/402975/ |website=Nextgov.com |access-date=31 August 2025 |language=en |date=13 February 2025}}</ref> Various offices within the agency were called to meetings to justify their positions to Ehikian and other political appointees. Senior executives called those meetings "murder boards."<ref name="Nextgov sledgehammer">{{cite web |last1=Alms |first1=Natalie |last2=Katz |first2=Eric |title=GSA takes 'sledgehammer' to workforce with planned layoffs |url=https://www.nextgov.com/people/2025/02/gsa-takes-sledgehammer-workforce-planned-layoffs/403250/ |website=Nextgov.com |access-date=1 September 2025 |language=en |date=25 February 2025}}</ref> Ehikian was a proponent of using artificial intelligence to reduce headcount with some GSA employees being asked to identify ways AI could automate their work responsibilities.<ref name="Nextgov sledgehammer" />
On February 24, 2025, Ehikian warned employees that the agency would be conducting a reduction in force and was also seeking to offer employees Voluntary Early Retirement Authority (VERA).<ref name="b123">{{cite web |last1=Heckman |first1=Jory |title=GSA to conduct nonvoluntary RIF in latest effort to trim headcount |url=https://federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/2025/02/gsa-to-conduct-nonvoluntary-rif-in-latest-effort-to-trim-headcount/?readmore=1 |website=Federal News Network |access-date=2 September 2025 |date=25 February 2025}}</ref>
On Saturday, March 1, 2025, the GSA eliminated 18F, a digital consulting office within GSA's Technology Transformation Services (TTS), and fired its 70 tech workers at 1:00 a.m.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Nguyen |first1=Danny |title=General Services Administration cuts tech unit |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2025/03/01/general-services-administration-cuts-tech-unit-00206860 |website=Politico |access-date=31 August 2025 |date=1 March 2025}}</ref> 18F employees reported that they had been locked out of their computers and emails, and that they could not find out where to return equipment.<ref>{{cite web |last1=McCurdy |first1=Will |title=DOGE Deletes Agency Behind Login.gov, IRS Direct File, Other Tech Projects |url=https://www.pcmag.com/news/doge-deletes-18f-agency-behind-logingov-irs-direct-file-other-tech-projects |website=PCMAG |access-date=31 August 2025 |language=en |date=2 March 2025}}</ref> 18F had previously been the target of false claims from rightwing activists and from Elon Musk that it was a far-left cell inside the government.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Robins-Early |first1=Nick |title=How an obscure US government office has become a target of Elon Musk |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/mar/15/elon-musk-18f-x-false-claims |website=The Guardian |access-date=1 September 2025 |date=16 March 2025}}</ref>
On March 3, 2025, the GSA issued reduction-in-force notices to approximately 600 employees with nearly 40% of the staff at its San Francisco office being let go.<ref name="GovExec RIF">{{cite web |last1=Alms |first1=Natalie |last2=Katz |first2=Eric |title=GSA continues slow drip of RIFs, nearly wiping out entire offices |url=https://www.govexec.com/workforce/2025/03/gsa-continues-slow-drip-rifs-nearly-wiping-out-entire-offices/403573/ |website=Government Executive |access-date=1 September 2025 |language=en |date=7 March 2025}}</ref> Then, on March 5, 2025 the agency issued reduction-in-force notices to more than 90% of its 200 employees at the northwest region of its Public Buildings Service.<ref name="GovExec RIF" /> On March 6, 2025 the GSA issued notices to nearly all its staffers (over 100 staffers) at the Office of the Chief Financial Officer in the Washington, D.C. area.<ref name="GovExec RIF" />
On March 3, 2025, Ehikian closed at least five regional offices of the fine arts and historic preservation units at the GSA, and placed more than 36 staffers on leave pending their terminations.<ref name="v811">{{cite news | last1=Capps | first1=Kriston | last2=Brasch | first2=Ben | last3=Chery | first3=Samantha | title=Trump administration slashes division in charge of 26,000 U.S. artworks | newspaper=The Washington Post | date=11 March 2025 | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/art/2025/03/11/gsa-fine-arts-layoffs-trump/ | access-date=2 September 2025}}</ref> The group preserved and maintained over 26,000 pieces of art owned by the federal government.<ref name="v811" />
By May 2025, over 2,100 GSA employees had accepted deferred resignations and the GSA had laid off about 1,000 employees for a total reduction of nearly 25% of its workforce.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Alms |first1=Natalie |title=More than 2,100 GSA employees have accepted deferred resignations |url=https://www.govexec.com/workforce/2025/05/more-2100-gsa-employees-have-accepted-deferred-resignations/405537/?utm_source=chatgpt.com |website=Government Executive |access-date=1 September 2025 |language=en |date=23 May 2025}}</ref>
Ehikian stated that the workforce reductions were about "moving people from maybe lower productivity roles to a higher productivity in the private sector."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Graham |first1=Edward |title=GSA plans to optimize operations following cost-cutting, agency head says |url=https://www.nextgov.com/digital-government/2025/07/gsa-plans-optimize-operations-following-cost-cutting-agency-head-says/406802/ |website=Nextgov/FCW |access-date=31 August 2025 |language=en |date=17 July 2025}}</ref>
=== Attempted purchase of USGS Menlo Park campus === On February 3, 2025, two weeks after Ehikian's appointment, the GSA received an unsolicited offer from Ehikian's younger brother and Bay Area real estate developer, Brad Ehikian, to purchase a federally-owned 17-acre property in Menlo Park, California in the heart of Silicon Valley for $65 million.<ref name="WaPo">{{cite news |last1=O'Connell |first1=Jonathan |title=Brother of Trump's GSA leader tried to buy prime federal property |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2025/03/13/gsa-administrator-brother-property-menlo-park/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=31 August 2025 |language=en |date=13 March 2025}}</ref> The Ehikian brothers had previously co-owned and transacted commercial real estate such as a warehouse and retail property in Redwood City that they bought for $1 million in 2003 and sold for $1.2 million the following year.<ref name="WaPo" /> The property, named Rockaway Grove, housed the United States Geological Survey and contained laboratories, office space, a child care facility, and a credit union across 17 buildings.<ref name="sfstandard.com">{{cite web |last1=Nguyen |first1=Kevin |title=San Francisco developer wins $137M bid for Silicon Valley campus |url=https://sfstandard.com/2025/04/16/presidio-bay-ventures-buys-gsa-campus-menlo-park/ |website=The San Francisco Standard |access-date=31 August 2025 |language=en |date=16 April 2025}}</ref> The GSA had previously tried to sell the property in an auction in August 2022 with a minimum bid of $120 million but the auction closed without a buyer.<ref name="WaPo" /><ref>{{cite web |last1=Rebosio |first1=Cameron |title=No winning bidder as Menlo Park USGS campus auction closes |url=https://www.almanacnews.com/news/2022/09/02/no-winning-bidder-as-menlo-park-usgs-campus-auction-closes/ |website=The Almanac |access-date=31 August 2025 |date=2 September 2022}}</ref>
The unsolicited offer prompted a complaint to the GSA inspector general's office that a relative of the acting administrator was trying to buy a property at below-market value.<ref name="WaPo" /> A GSA spokeswoman stated that Stephen Ehikian had recused himself from his brother's proposal.<ref name="WaPo" /> The GSA informed all interested parties that it intended to sell the property in a public auction. Brad Ehikian withdrew his offer on February 16, 2025.<ref name=wp250723>{{Cite news |last=O'Connell |first=Jonathan |date=March 13, 2025 |title=Brother of Trump's GSA leader tried to buy prime federal property |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2025/03/13/gsa-administrator-brother-property-menlo-park/ |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref> The GSA launched a sealed-bid auction to sell the property on February 28, 2025 with a minimum bid of $85 million.<ref name="WaPo" /> The auction closed on April 15, 2025, and the property sold to San Francisco-based Presidio Bay Ventures who placed an all-cash offer of $137 million.<ref name="sfstandard.com"/> The auction received three qualifying bids with the second-highest bid being $120 million.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Margulis |first1=Arden |title=Familiar face buys USGS campus in Menlo Park for $130M |url=https://www.almanacnews.com/real-estate/2025/04/15/familiar-face-buys-usgs-campus-in-menlo-park-for-130m/ |website=The Almanac |access-date=31 August 2025 |date=15 April 2025}}</ref> Presidio Bay Ventures announced on August 11, 2025 that it would begin hosting community meetings to determine what to build on the campus.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hernandez |first1=Adriana |title=Developer to host meetings about USGS campus – Palo Alto Daily Post |url=https://padailypost.com/2025/08/11/usgs-property-officially-handed-off-to-developer/ |website=Palo Alto Daily Post |access-date=31 August 2025}}</ref>
===Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) activities=== During Ehikian’s tenure at the GSA, the agency served as a hub for many staffers involved in the DOGE cost-cutting effort. Ehikian was listed as a DOGE ally by ''The New York Times'',<ref name="n628">{{cite web | author=The New York Times | title=The People Carrying Out Musk's Plans at DOGE | website=The New York Times | date=27 February 2025 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/02/27/us/politics/doge-staff-list.html | access-date=2 September 2025}}</ref> ''The Washington Post'',<ref name="o559">{{cite news | last1=Lerman | first1=Rachel | last2=Torbati | first2=Yeganeh | last3=Frankel | first3=Todd | last4=Siddiqui | first4=Faiz | title=The DOGE employees and allies working on Elon Musk's government goals | newspaper=The Washington Post | date=14 February 2025 | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/interactive/2025/doge-employees-list-staff-elon-musk/ | access-date=2 September 2025}}</ref> and ProPublica.<ref name="h571">{{cite web | title=Elon Musk's Demolition Crew | website=ProPublica | date=6 February 2025 | url=https://projects.propublica.org/elon-musk-doge-tracker/ | access-date=2 September 2025}}</ref> A GSA press release following his appointment as acting administrator said he would "drive maximum efficiency in government procurement for the benefit of all taxpayers, and will work closely with the DOGE team to do so."<ref name="j124">{{cite web | title=Stephen Ehikian appointed Acting Administrator and Deputy Administrator of the General Services Administration | website=U.S. General Services Administration | date=22 January 2025 | url=https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/newsroom/news-releases/stephen-ehikian-appointed-acting-administrator-and-deputy-administrator-of-gsa-01222025 | access-date=2 September 2025}}</ref>
In a March 25 blog post laying out his vision for the GSA, Ehikian said GSA was "the tip of the spear," and that it was "setting the example for other agencies and serving as a collaborative partner to help them cut wasteful contract spending, right size the federal real estate portfolio and deploy software to drive efficiency and productivity."<ref name="i357">{{cite web | title=My Vision for GSA | website=U.S. General Services Administration | date=25 March 2025 | url=https://www.gsa.gov/blog/2025/03/25/my-vision-for-gsa | access-date=2 September 2025}}</ref>
Elon Musk visited the GSA on January 30, 2025 and met with Ehikian.<ref name="a456">{{cite web |last1=Schleifer |first1=Theodore |last2=Conger |first2=Kate |last3=Ngo |first3=Madeleine |title=Elon Musk's Next Target: Government Buildings |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/30/us/politics/elon-musk-general-services-administration.html |website=New York Times |date=30 January 2025 |access-date=2 September 2025}}</ref> After the meeting, officials dicussed a plan to eliminate 50% of expenditures.<ref name="g435">{{cite web | last1=Swan | first1=Jonathan | last2=Schleifer | first2=Theodore | last3=Haberman | first3=Maggie | last4=Conger | first4=Kate | last5=Mac | first5=Ryan | last6=Ngo | first6=Madeleine | title=Inside Musk's Aggressive Incursion Into the Federal Government | website=The New York Times | date=2025-02-03 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/03/us/politics/musk-federal-government.html | access-date=2025-09-02}}</ref> Ehikian told staffers that he wanted them to apply zero-based budgeting at the GSA in which budgets are set to zero and every expense must be justified from scratch.<ref name="g435" />
By mid-February, the GSA had installed Starlink at the headquarters building to be used by DOGE staffers.<ref name="i319">{{cite web | title=Elon Musk's Starlink has a growing footprint in the federal government | website=NBC News | date=8 March 2025 | url=https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/elon-musk/elon-musk-starlink-growing-footprint-federal-government-rcna195400 | access-date=2 September 2025}}</ref> Starlink was installed days after DOGE staffers made a request, although the process would typically take weeks or months.<ref name="i319" /> On April 17, the ''Associated Press'' reported that employees had found at least two Starlink transceivers, including one with a wire running to Ehikian’s office.<ref name="v342">{{cite web | last1=Tau | first1=Byron | last2=Goodman | first2=Joshua | last3=Burke | first3=Garance | last4=Slodysko | first4=Brian | title=Elon Musk installed his top lieutenants at a federal agency you probably haven't heard of | website=AP News | date=17 April 2025 | url=https://apnews.com/article/doge-musk-trump-ai-starlink-gsa-efficiency-d67a41d1be98db11f05ca8e4472f53bd | access-date=2 September 2025}}</ref> GSA IT staff opened an investigation to determine whether the terminals posed a security threat, and an employee filed a complaint with the agency’s inspector general.<ref name="v342" />
On March 6, news outlets reported that the GSA served as a bunkhouse for DOGE staffers, where workers set up at least four separate rooms on the 6th floor with IKEA beds, lamps, dressers, and a children's play area with toys and stuffed animals.<ref name="a123">{{cite web |last1=Dil |first1=Cuneyt |title=Elon Musk's DOGE staffers sleep in IKEA beds in federal offices |url=https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2025/03/10/elon-musk-doge-sleep-ikea-beds-federal-buildings |website=Axios |access-date=2 September 2025 |language=en |date=10 March 2025}}</ref> GSA was considering installing a washer and dryer on the floor.<ref name="h794">{{cite web | last1=Northey | first1=Hannah | last2=Nguyen | first2=Danny | title=IKEA beds? Dressers? Inside the 'exceedingly odd' DOGE office setup | website=POLITICO | date=6 March 2025 | url=https://www.politico.com/news/2025/03/06/doge-federal-office-bedrooms-00216863 | access-date=2 September 2025}}</ref> The area where they worked was redesigned with a locked door and a security guard.<ref name="r083">{{cite magazine | 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 | date=23 July 2025 | url=https://www.wired.com/story/photos-bedding-childrens-play-sets-doge-old-offices/ | access-date=2 September 2025}}</ref> On March 20, Ehikian hosted his first all-hands meeting at GSA. When asked about the DOGE team, Ehikian responded that no such team existed.<ref name="r083" /><ref name="v521">{{cite magazine | last1=Schiffer | first1=Zoë | last2=Zoë Schiffer | first2=Kate Knibbs | title='Who Is DOGE?' Has Become a Metaphysical Question | magazine=WIRED | date=24 April 2025 | url=https://www.wired.com/story/elon-musk-doge-mystery-general-services-administration/ | access-date=2 September 2025}}</ref><ref name="b966">{{cite web | last=Eaton | first=Kit | title=How a Government Agency Town Hall Meeting Got Tense in the Texted Comments | website=Inc | date=21 March 2025 | url=https://www.inc.com/kit-eaton/how-a-government-agency-town-hall-meeting-got-tense-in-the-texted-comments/91164820 | access-date=2 September 2025}}</ref>
On April 23, 2025, after Elon Musk told investors he would be significantly scaling back his government work to focus on his businesses, ''Politico'' stated that DOGE staffers remained at several agencies and some were based out of the GSA, which was now a DOGE nerve center.<ref name="x746">{{cite web | last1=Cai | first1=Sophia | last2=Bade | first2=Rachael | last3=McLeary | first3=Paul | title=DOGE loses its biggest advocate as Musk exits Washington | website=POLITICO | date=23 April 2025 | url=https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/23/elon-musk-doge-trump-00306673 | access-date=2 September 2025}}</ref>
On July 7, as Musk was threatening to finance a third party, ''Politico'' stated that GSA remained a DOGE stronghold staffed with dozens of DOGE employees, and a DOGE-branded X account actively promoting DOGE activities.<ref name="b715">{{cite web | last=Cai | first=Sophia | title=White House looks into rogue employee who used a DOGE account to DM anti-Musk activist | website=POLITICO | date=7 July 2025 | 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=2 September 2025}}</ref>
On May 29, the White House announced that the operational head of DOGE, Steve Davis, would no longer be a government employee.<ref name="q135">{{cite web | last=Cai | first=Sophia | title=DOGE lead Steve Davis did not go quietly | website=POLITICO | date=14 July 2025 | url=https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/14/doge-lead-steve-davis-did-not-go-quietly-00452257 | access-date=2 September 2025}}</ref> However, he continued asking for DOGE updates and making requests, and led a DOGE meeting on the 6th floor of the GSA where he announced a DOGE 2.0.<ref name="q135" /> Concerned employees consulted with the DOGE general counsel who stated that Davis was no longer a government employee.<ref name="q135" />
Davis dispatched three allies, Ehikian and Josh Gruenbaum at the GSA and Anthony Armstrong at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), to assess employees' loyalty and installed them as the new leaders of DOGE.<ref name="q135" /> A ''Politico'' source stated that the trio claimed authority from the White House, but that the White House stressed they only had authority at the GSA.<ref name="q135" /> A senior Trump administration official, however, denied the account.<ref name="q135" /> Following these events, the White House started conversations about finding a new acting administrator in mid-June.<ref name="x163">{{cite web | last=Cai | first=Sophia | title=Trump installs new GSA acting administrator, sidelines DOGE leaders | website=POLITICO | date=21 July 2025 | url=https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/21/trump-installs-new-gsa-acting-administrator-sidelines-doge-leaders-00465468 | access-date=2 September 2025}}</ref>
President Trump replaced Ehikian with Mike Rigas as acting administrator on July 21, 2025, though Ehikian was to remain as deputy administrator.<ref name="x163" /> On July 23, ''WIRED'' reported that DOGE staffers had largely moved out of the 6th floor of the GSA where they left behind bedding and children's toys.<ref name="r083" /> Rigas installed 10 officials in areas of the agency where DOGE staffers had held the most influence.<ref name="t047">{{cite web | last1=Alms | first1=Natalie | last2=Katz | first2=Eric | title=DOGE and other day 1 Trump appointees head for the exits at multiple agencies | website=Government Executive | date=29 July 2025 | url=https://www.govexec.com/management/2025/07/doge-and-other-day-one-trump-appointees-head-exits-multiple-agencies/407075/ | access-date=2 September 2025}}</ref> Most of the new officials detailed to the GSA had ties to the first Trump administration.<ref name="x300">{{cite web | last1=Cai | first1=Sophia | last2=Johansen | first2=Ben | title=White House conducts de-Muskification at GSA | website=POLITICO | date=31 July 2025 | url=https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/31/elon-musk-gsa-doge-trump-00487503 | access-date=2 September 2025}}</ref> On July 29, 2025, publication ''Government Executive'' reported that Ehikian and Josh Gruenbaum, had not been seen in the office in recent days.<ref name="t047" />
''Politico'' reported that a person close to DOGE remarked that with Ehikian losing his role as GSA acting administrator, DOGE had lost all remaining influence.<ref name="x300" />
== See also == * Network of the Department of Government Efficiency * Department of Government Efficiency * US federal agencies targeted by DOGE * 2025 United States federal mass layoffs
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ehikian, Stephen}} Category:Living people Category:Second Trump administration personnel Category:General Services Administration officials Category:Place of birth missing (living people) Category:Salesforce people Category:1980 births