Trump's Department of Government Efficiency Quietly Dissolves Despite Unfinished Charter

President Trump's Department of Government Efficiency has ceased operations despite having eight months remaining in its charter, effectively ending an initiative that was prominently launched as a symbol of Trump's commitment to reducing government size but which critics argue produced few verifiable savings.

"That doesn't exist," Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor confirmed to Reuters when questioned about DOGE's current status, marking the first official acknowledgment from the Trump administration about the department's dissolution.

Kupor clarified that DOGE is no longer functioning as a "centralized entity." The agency, which was established in January, had initially conducted aggressive efforts across Washington during the early months of Trump's second term with the mission to rapidly downsize federal agencies, reduce their budgets, or realign their work with Trump's priorities. According to Kupor and documents examined by Reuters, many of DOGE's functions have since been transferred to the Office of Personnel Management, the federal government's human resources department.

At least two notable DOGE staff members have transitioned to roles within the National Design Studio, a newly formed entity created through an executive order signed by Trump in August. This new organization is led by Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia and was commissioned by Trump to enhance government websites. Gebbia previously served on billionaire Elon Musk's DOGE team, while another DOGE employee, Edward Coristine (nicknamed "Big Balls"), encouraged his followers on X to apply for positions within the new studio.

The quiet dissolution of DOGE stands in stark contrast to the months-long government-wide campaign that had been conducted to promote it, with Trump, his advisers, and cabinet members frequently posting about it on social media. Musk, who initially headed DOGE, regularly promoted its accomplishments on his X platform and at one point famously wielded a chainsaw to symbolize his commitment to eliminating government positions.

"This is the chainsaw for bureaucracy," Musk declared, holding the tool above his head during a February appearance at the Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor, Maryland.

While DOGE claimed to have eliminated tens of billions of dollars in government expenditures, outside financial experts found it impossible to verify these claims because the unit never provided detailed public accounting of its work.

"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," White House spokeswoman Liz Huston stated in an email to Reuters.

Trump administration officials have avoided explicitly stating that DOGE no longer exists, even following Musk's public disagreement with Trump in May. Musk has since departed Washington.

Nevertheless, Trump and his team have been signaling the department's demise since summer, despite the President having signed an executive order earlier in his term establishing that DOGE would operate through July 2026.

In statements to the media, Trump increasingly refers to DOGE in the past tense. Acting DOGE Administrator Amy Gleason, who has a background in healthcare technology, officially became an adviser to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy in March, according to court documents, while maintaining her role with DOGE. Her public statements have primarily focused on her HHS responsibilities.

Meanwhile, Republican-governed states including Idaho and Florida are developing local entities similar to DOGE.

The government-wide hiring freeze—another signature policy of DOGE—has also concluded, according to Kupor.

On his first day in office, Trump prohibited federal agencies from hiring new employees, with exceptions for positions his team considered essential for immigration law enforcement and public safety. He later stipulated that DOGE representatives must approve any additional exceptions, adding that agencies should hire "no more than one employee for every four" that leave.

"There is no target around reductions" anymore, Kupor confirmed.

Former DOGE staff members have moved into other positions within the administration. Most notably, Gebbia has been tasked with improving the "visual presentation" of government websites.

To date, his design studio has launched websites to recruit law enforcement officers for Washington, D.C. patrols and to promote the president's drug pricing program. When contacted by Reuters, Gebbia declined an interview request through a spokesperson.

Zachary Terrell, previously part of the DOGE team granted access to government health systems early in Trump's second term, now serves as chief technology officer at the Department of Health and Human Services. Rachel Riley, who had similar access according to court filings, now leads the Office of Naval Research, as indicated on the office's website.

Jeremy Lewin, who assisted Musk and the Trump administration in restructuring the U.S. Agency for International Development, now oversees foreign assistance at the State Department, according to the agency's website.

Shortly after Trump's election, Musk stated he had a mandate to "delete the mountain" of government regulations. He established dismantling government regulations and transforming government operations with AI as key objectives of DOGE, alongside eliminating federal government positions.

The administration continues its effort to reduce regulations. The White House budget office has assigned Scott Langmack, formerly DOGE's representative at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, with developing custom AI applications to analyze U.S. regulations and identify which ones to eliminate, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Musk has recently reappeared in Washington, attending a White House dinner this week for Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.