Your guide to Elon Musk’s DOGE: What’s being cut and why it matters
Also: Trump bans federal use of paper straws, and the politics hidden in Kendrick Lamar's halftime show
What exactly is DOGE?
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is a new White House initiative led by Elon Musk, created by President Trump through executive order. Unlike traditional government agencies that are established by Congress, DOGE was created by presidential directive and reports directly to the White House Chief of Staff.
What authority does DOGE have?
This is where things get complicated. Legal experts point to the Constitution, which gives Congress - not the president - the power to control government spending and create agencies. The 1974 Impoundment Control Act specifically limits the president's ability to not spend money that Congress has approved. Multiple state attorneys general are challenging DOGE's authority in court.
What are they doing?
DOGE teams have been given access to various government systems and data, including:
Treasury Department payment systems
Student loan records
Medicare and Medicaid data
Federal Aviation Administration technology
Veterans Affairs information
They're using this access to identify what they consider wasteful spending and terminate contracts. They've also been involved in staff reductions across agencies.
Who's running it?
While Musk leads DOGE as a special government employee, the teams include former private sector employees, including some young tech workers from companies like SpaceX and Tesla. This has raised questions about experience levels and potential conflicts of interest.
What's Actually Being Cut?
Federal Workforce Nearly 80,000 federal workers have taken buyouts to leave their jobs, and agencies can now only hire one person for every four who leave. All remote work has ended. Sweeping layoffs intensified on Thursday, focusing on probationary employees with less than two years of experience, affecting potentially hundreds of thousands of workers. Some of these workers were given just 30 minutes to leave.
Aid and Development USAID operations are largely suspended with thousands of employees on leave, halting critical food assistance and humanitarian programs worldwide.
Research and Education Hundreds of Education Department and scientific research contracts have been terminated, with major restrictions placed on NIH grants and federal student aid research.
Consumer Protection The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has been effectively shut down, suspending programs that previously recovered billions in consumer fraud cases.
Government Buildings About 7,500 federal office leases are under review for termination, with dozens already canceled as DOGE pushes to sell government buildings.
These changes are happening at unprecedented speed, and while many face legal challenges, DOGE continues implementing cuts while courts consider the cases.
Why does this matter?
These changes affect everything from student aid to scientific research to consumer protection. Whether you're planning a government career, counting on federal programs, or care about government services, DOGE's actions could have long-term impacts on how the federal government operates.
What's next?
Multiple legal challenges are working their way through courts, with states and organizations questioning DOGE's constitutional authority. Congress could act to limit DOGE's power, but so far, response has been divided along party lines. Meanwhile, DOGE continues to implement changes across federal agencies.
The debate continues over whether this represents needed government reform or an overreach of executive power - and courts will likely play a crucial role in determining DOGE's future.
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