President Donald Trump's executive order announcing the creation of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) on Monday represents a more modest scope of this effort, primarily focused on “modernizing federal technology and software.”
of presidential order Converting the Obama-era U.S. Digital Service (USDS) into the U.S. DOGE Service. Then-President Barack Obama called for improving the reliability and ease of use of online federal services following the disastrous rollout of HealthCare.gov, an insurance exchange website created under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). USDS was established in 2014 to achieve this goal. Under the order, President Trump's USDS will prioritize “modernizing federal technology and software to maximize efficiency and productivity,” while reducing federal budget, personnel, and regulatory cuts (DOGE There is no mention of the purpose originally advertised.
President Trump: “I am pleased to announce that the great Elon Musk will join forces with American patriot Vivek Ramaswamy to lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).'' said He officially announced the initiative in November. “Together, these two great Americans will lead the way for my administration to dismantle government bureaucracy, reduce excessive government regulation, cut wasteful spending, and restructure federal agencies. ”
@DOGE Government efficiency would be greatly increased, taxes would be saved, and rampant inflation would end. https://t.co/dfrXTuHJwA
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 21, 2025
The order's focus on streamlining federal technology and software stands in contrast to some of DOGE's earlier broader objectives, including those advocated by Elon Musk. [cut the federal budget] “President Trump's Madison Square Garden rally in November added at least $2 trillion.” Musk is now leading DOGE alone after Vivek Ramaswamy stepped down from the leadership on Monday, and appears to be eyeing a 2026 Ohio gubernatorial run. (Related: Vivek Ramaswamy confirms leaving DOGE, teases 'future plans' at Ohio State)
Elon: “I think we can cut the federal budget by at least $2 trillion a year. Tax dollars are being wasted and the Department of Government Efficiency is going to fix that.” pic.twitter.com/HbeFTkFA3u
— unusual_whales (@unusual_whales) November 3, 2024
The order says it will help “advance the President's 18-month DOGE agenda,” but it omits many of President Trump's campaign-era budget and layoff proposals. Rather, the order positions DOGE as a technology modernization organization rather than an organization with direct authority to implement sweeping fiscal reforms. For example, while the president has made individual cuts, there is no mention of trillions of dollars in budget cuts or deep reductions in the federal workforce. enact A hiring freeze was imposed across the executive branch on Monday.
“I can't help but think there's going to be a lot more to come, and perhaps even more responsibilities,” Susan Dudley, a public policy professor at George Washington University, told the Daily Caller News Foundation. spoke. Dudley, who was also the top regulator in the administration of former President George W. Bush, said the new USDS structure could impact recent lawsuits against DOGE's efforts.
“I think there's probably no argument for a lawsuit filed for not being FACA,” Dudley said. “So if this is how it’s organized, if it’s government officials who are hiring these special civil servants on a temporary basis, then what really goes into this lawsuit? It may turn out that there is no basis for this.
Within minutes of President Trump signing the executive order, the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the National Security Advisor (NSC), and Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) announced that DOGE filed separate lawsuits against them. The lawsuit primarily challenges DOGE's compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), saying the department operates without necessary transparency, balanced representation, and public accountability. claims.
The order also emphasizes that “nothing shall be construed to impair or affect the powers vested by law in any executive department or agency or its head.” or duties of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget related to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals. ”
“And the only mention of O.M.B. [Office of Management and Budget] There's some kind of boilerplate at the end, but it doesn't affect it. But that's common in executive orders,” Dudley continued, adding that he “doesn't have inside information” on whether more DOGE-related executive orders will be issued.
“It's certainly more modest than Mr. Musk expected,” Dudley said.
President Trump's order also establishes a “DOGE team” consisting of at least four employees: a team leader, a human resources specialist, an engineer, and an attorney. Each team will be assigned an executive agency to carry out the President's DOGE Agenda.
It remains unclear whether Monday's executive order comprehensively defines DOGE or whether additional orders will be issued to expand its mandate.
The White House did not immediately respond to DCNF's request for comment.
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