Why Doge Ended Early: What Happened to the Musk Project

The Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), a federal initiative launched by the Trump administration to streamline government operations, has been quietly dissolved months before its mandate was set to end.

Created on the first day of Trump’s presidency, Doge was tasked with identifying inefficiencies, reducing costs, and modernizing federal agencies using technology-driven methods.

Led by Elon Musk and political entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, the unit made rapid changes across multiple departments, including layoffs, buyout programs, and budget cuts. By early summer, signs of internal transition surfaced when staff members vacated their temporary workspace inside the General Services Administration building, where many had been stationed for months.

Reports of leadership reshuffling, slowed operations, and shifting priorities added to speculation about the program’s future. According to documents cited by Reuters, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM)—the federal government’s human-resources authority—gradually absorbed many of Doge’s functions, effectively ending the unit’s centralized role.

Former Doge leaders have since transitioned into various federal positions, continuing their work within traditional agency structures.