Trump’s DOGE program shuts down early after failing to deliver promised savings

• Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) disbanded eight months early.
• Critics say DOGE delivered few measurable savings despite high-profile efforts.
• Key DOGE staff have moved to other government roles, including a new design studio.
• Government hiring freeze and agency reduction targets tied to DOGE have ended.

The US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an initiative launched by President Donald Trump to streamline federal agencies, has quietly disbanded with eight months remaining in its official mandate. Critics say the high-profile program, intended to slash the size of government, produced limited tangible results.

"That doesn't exist," Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor told Reuters earlier this month when asked about DOGE’s status. He added that the unit is no longer a "centralized entity," marking the first formal acknowledgment from the Trump administration about the agency’s end.

Established in January, DOGE made dramatic moves across Washington during the early months of Trump’s second term, attempting to cut agency budgets, reassign work to Trump priorities, and reduce federal employment. Many of its functions have since been absorbed by the Office of Personnel Management.

Several former DOGE staff have taken on new roles. Joe Gebbia, co-founder of Airbnb, now leads the National Design Studio, created via Trump’s executive order in August to improve government websites. Other former DOGE employees have joined key federal agencies, including Health and Human Services and the Office of Naval Research.

DOGE, initially led by Elon Musk, had attracted attention with bold symbolism, including Musk brandishing a chainsaw at a public event to signify government cuts. The agency claimed to have eliminated tens of billions in expenditures, though outside experts could not verify the figures due to limited public accounting.

"This is the chainsaw for bureaucracy," Musk said at the Conservative Political Action Conference earlier in the year.

White House spokeswoman Liz Huston defended the program, stating, "President Trump was given a clear mandate to reduce waste, fraud and abuse across the federal government, and he continues to actively deliver on that commitment."

Trump’s administration had signaled the winding down of DOGE over recent months, despite an executive order stating it would continue through July 2026. Key policy tools tied to DOGE, including a government-wide hiring freeze and agency reduction targets, are now officially concluded.

While DOGE is gone, the administration continues efforts to reduce regulations, with former DOGE representatives now developing AI tools to identify redundant federal rules. Meanwhile, Musk has returned to Washington, attending a White House dinner for Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.