On Elon Musk’s concluding day at the White House, a joint statement was made along with US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office. As the leader of the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), established recently, Musk’s role has been pivotal in slashing US governmental expenditure and job positions. President Trump emphasized that Musk would remain involved with the White House and continually contribute to Doge – a project he referred to as Musk’s ‘brainchild’. Musk’s affiliation with Doge triggered a seismic shift in the federal apparatus, leaving ripples not just confined to the power corridor of Washington, but also influencing global dynamics.
The intriguing undercurrent in Musk’s Washington tenure revolved around discerning who held the real reins of Doge. Despite the White House’s recurring clarification that Musk was only playing the part of an advisor and refrained from managing Doge as an ‘administrator’, Musk unquestionably posed as the face of the initiative. Assigning him the official responsibility had the potential to invoke constitutional implications and heightened audit and ethical mandates. Amidst the growing number of lawsuits against Doge’s undertakings, a pressing query arose: who was actually at the helm of Doge?
As this question pervaded courthouse battles, the government’s legal representatives grappled to provide a clear-cut answer before judges and even offered sometimes conflicting answers in various cases. Several names intermittently emerged. In a late February announcement, Amy Gleason, a US Doge Service employee, was revealed to be Doge’s administrator according to the White House. Gleason, however, kept a low profile during Musk’s 130-day run in Washington, with Musk continuing to steal the limelight.
Contrarily, Gleason was distinctly absent when the Doge team had a sit-down discussion with Fox News in late March, and Musk was prominently highlighted. The demand for clarification around the person in control kept surfacing during legal disputes. Nonetheless, during the Oval Office dialogue, Trump displayed a solid certainty about Musk’s role in Doge, reemphasizing, ‘It’s his brainchild’.
Musk’s brief stint in the government sector spanning just over four months saw him revolutionize the federal structure through his work with Doge, having a profound effect on the power corridors of Washington and also affecting global developments. The initial course of action for Musk was to target a reduction of ‘at least $2 trillion’ in government expenditure. However, this objective soon got streamlined to $1tn, and eventually down to $150bn.
Doge lays claim to having achieved $175bn in savings through a stratagem combining asset sales, withdrawals of leases and grants, ‘fraud and improper payment deletion’, regulatory savings, and a significant reduction of 260,000 personnel from the 2.3 million-strong federal workforce. Conversely, a BBC review of these statistics revealed some instances where concrete validation fell short.
As Musk relinquishes his duties, it becomes evident that his departure does not signify the termination of the broader reshaping endeavor of the federal government under Trump’s administration. A sizeable portion of federal government jobs are non-political, ensuring continuity in positions despite transitions in presidential administrations and political party sway. Thousands of these federal employees were displaced across various agencies due to the systematic efforts by Musk and Doge.
As Musk prepares to leave his position, the administration is releasing new guidelines for future recruitment, indicating far-reaching implications. The Office of Personnel Management has introduced a new merit-based hiring plan. This updated policy stipulates that diversity, equality, and inclusion policies should not influence hiring managers, and they should refrain from relying on data relating to race, sex, or underrepresented groups within their workplace.
The new plan will necessitate interviewees to write brief essays answering four specific topics, such as, ‘How would you help advance the President’s Executive Orders and policy priorities in this role?’ Max Stier, president and CEO of the Partnership for Public Service, shows concern that these changes could engender a system that prioritizes ‘loyalty’ to Trump ‘above all else’.
President Trump bestowed upon Musk a grand golden key encased in a wooden box, a token of appreciation, saying it’s a tribute he reserves for ‘special people’. He quoted, ‘This is not the end of the Doge but really the beginning.’ Despite coming to the end of his government tenure, Musk underscores that Doge’s operations would continue. He expresses his expectation of soon witnessing a trillion dollars in government savings.
Doge’s latest estimated savings to date are marked at approximately $175bn as of 26 May. However, a BBC analysis could only confirm a quarter of that figure based on available documentation evidence or other forms. As Elon Musk bids farewell to his role at Doge, the Department of Government Efficiency, he leaves a legacy of earnest initiatives to bring about deep cuts in US government spending.
Last year, Musk had announced a target of shedding ‘at least $2 trillion’ from federal government spending. However, in recent discussions, he made mention of a revised target of a savings figure of $150bn by the end of the ensuing fiscal year in 2026. Doge’s disclosed number suggests that $175bn of savings were identified.
Doge maintains a current total of its estimated savings on its official website – a figure that stood at $175bn on its last update on the 26th of May. However, scrutiny by BBC Verify has called into question the authenticity of some of Doge’s most substantial individual savings claims. With the departure of Elon Musk from Doge (the Department of Government Efficiency), BBC Verify has analysed the effectiveness of the savings claimed by the department.
In the previous year, Musk committed to slashing ‘at least $2 trillion’ from federal government expenditure but he later reoriented this objective and began exploring options to save $150bn by the end of the upcoming financial year in 2026. The figure publicized by Doge reveals $175bn in savings claimed by the last update on the 26th of May.