The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an advisory commission chaired by billionaire Elon Musk that recommends deep cuts to federal agencies, may soon become more official if an executive order signed by President Donald Trump passes law.
On Monday evening, Trump signed an order renaming the US Digital Service (USDS), which was created in 2014 by former President Barack Obama to “change the government’s approach to technology,” as the US DOGE Service (USDS ). (Note identical abbreviations.)
USDS will have about 20 employees, Trump said during the executive order signing ceremony. Despite its name, it is not a federal executive department, which would require an act of Congress to establish.
The executive order directs US agency heads to consult with the USDS to form “DOGE Teams” of “at least” four employees within their agency within 30 days. The teams will typically include a DOGE Team leader, engineer, human resources specialist, and attorney, according to the executive order, and will work with USDS and the agency they are assigned to implement Trump’s DOGE plan.
Among other things, the executive order establishes a “software modernization” plan to improve the government’s network infrastructure and IT systems, and gives USDS access to “unclassified” agency data, software and systems of IT “in accordance with the law”.
The executive order also creates an interim organization, the US DOGE Interim Service Organization, dedicated to “advancing (President Trump’s) 18-month DOGE agenda.” The organization is set to expire on July 4, 2026.
Trump previously said DOGE’s work must be completed “no later than” July 4, 2026 — before Ohio’s November 2026 gubernatorial election.
It remains to be seen whether the executive order survives future courtroom battles. No less than three lawsuits have been filed in federal court alleging that the Musk-led DOGE violates the transparency requirements of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), a 1972 law that requires federal advisory committees to hold meetings publicly and represent “balanced” perspectives. .
Trump announced DOGE, which would be co-chaired by Musk and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, late last year. Ramaswamy has since left DOGE after reportedly clashing with Musk, and is said to be planning to announce a run for governor of Ohio next week.
Musk has suggested that DOGE could help reduce the US federal budget by up to $2 trillion through measures such as reducing waste, eliminating redundant agencies and reducing the federal workforce. However, he has fallen back on this target and many experts believe it is unrealistic.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Trump’s team and officials from DOGE have called for abolishing the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and combining and restructuring the FDIC, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), and the Federal Reserve. Separately, Musk has also proposed eliminating the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the agency tasked with implementing and enforcing consumer protection laws and issuing guidance to consumer financial institutions.
