- President Trump has signed an executive order to introduce a new advisory group
- The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) will be spearheaded by Elon Musk
- The department is tasked with modernizing government software and digital infrastructure
The newly-inaugurated President Trump has signed a slew of executive orders after being sworn in, including announcing the US Digital services (USDS) will be renamed as the US DOGE Services (also the USDS).
The advisory group known as DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) has been tasked with restoring, “competence and effectiveness to our federal government,” Trump confirmed in his inaugural speech.
DOGE has already made its first efficiency cut in its co-leader Vivek Ramaswamy, who was previously tipped to join Tesla CEO Elon Musk in heading up the department, but sources have since announced he will instead run for Governor of Ohio.
Not quite a department
To create an official federal executive department, a President must introduce an Act of Congress, so this newly created group doesn’t have the powers of an executive department – which would be required to carry out the reorganization and extensive job and budget cuts proposed by Musk and Ramaswamy.
The executive order instead established plans for “software modernization” to advance government network infrastructure and IT systems, as well giving the USDS access to “unclassified” agency records, IT and software systems “consistent with law”.
As well as modernization plans, the executive order has created a temporary organization, the US DOGE Service Temporary Organization, set to terminate on July 4, 2026, which will look to advance Trump’s “18-month DOGE agenda.”
Musk has previously suggested that DOGE will facilitate $2 trillion in cuts by downsizing the workforce and reducing waste, although experts have warned this would not be possible.
Three lawsuits have been filed in federal court since the executive order was signed, alleging that the department violates transparency requirements, as well as emphasizing the lack of balance in its membership, and proper advisory committee procedures.
Via TechCrunch
