President Trump signed an executive order to make Musk’s DOGE committee more formal
Government Efficiency Department (Doug), an advisory committee led by billionaire Elon Musk that recommends deep cuts to federal agency budgets, could soon become more formal, if that happens. Executive order Signed by President Donald Trump and passed legal muster.
On Monday evening, Trump signed an order renaming the US Digital Service (USDS), which was created by former President Barack Obama in 2014 to “change… [the] Government Approach to Technology”, such as the US DOGE Service (USDS). (Note the identical abbreviations.)
USDS is scheduled to have about 20 employees, Trump He said During the signing ceremony of the executive order. Despite its name, it is not a federal executive department, which would require an act of Congress to establish.
The executive order directs U.S. agency heads to consult with 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, an engineer, a human resources specialist, and an attorney, according to the executive order, working with USDS and the agency in which they reside to implement Trump’s DOGE plan.
Among other things, the executive order establishes a “software modernization” plan to improve government network infrastructure and IT systems, and grants the U.S. Treasury Department access to “unclassified” agency records, software systems, and IT systems “consistent with the law.”
The Executive Order also creates a temporary organization, the US DOGE Service Interim Organization, dedicated to “advancement.” [President Trump’s] DOGE’s 18-month agenda. The organization is scheduled to end on July 4, 2026.
Trump previously He said DOGE’s work should be completed no later than July 4, 2026 — before Ohio’s November 2026 gubernatorial election.
It remains to be seen whether the executive order will survive the upcoming courtroom battles. At least three lawsuits They have been brought to a federal court alleging that the Musk-led DOGE is violating transparency requirements under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), a 1972 law that requires federal advisory committees to hold public meetings and represent “balanced” viewpoints.
Trump announced DOGE, which was to be co-led by Musk and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, late last year. Ramaswamy has since left DOGE after reportedly clashing with Musk It is said to She plans to announce her run for governor of Ohio next week.
Musk 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 downsizing the federal workforce. He has since I blinked On this goal, however, and Many experts believe To be unrealistic.
According to According to the Wall Street Journal, Trump’s team and DOGE officials inquired about eliminating the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), merging and restructuring the FDIC, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), and the Federal Reserve. Separately, Musk did so as well Suggested Abolish the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the agency charged with implementing and enforcing consumer protection laws and issuing guidance to consumer financial institutions.
