Elon Musk is stepping back from Doge. Can Trump's government efficiency drive survive without him?

As Elon Musk prepares to scale back from his high-profile leadership of the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), questions loom over the future of one of the most disruptive federal initiatives in modern United States history.

Doge is one of the most sweeping and controversial initiatives launched by the Trump administration in its current term.

While the Tesla and SpaceX CEO has served as the unofficial public face of Doge, his anticipated departure raises important questions about the department’s ongoing operations.

Despite growing political pressure and legal scrutiny, Doge’s machinery remains active within the federal government — continuing to cut costs, streamline departments, challenge regulations and restructure agencies.

How Doge functions

US President Donald Trump created Doge through an executive order issued on Inauguration Day in January 2025. The initiative was framed as a comprehensive effort to root out inefficiencies, eliminate waste, and reduce the size of the federal bureaucracy.

The order set July 4, 2026 — the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence — as Doge’s expiration date.

According to Musk, the long-term objective was for Doge to become obsolete: “The final step of Doge is to delete itself,” he said in a post on social media in December.

Doge’s operational blueprint embeds a dedicated team — comprising a team leader, an engineer, a human-resources specialist and a lawyer — within each federal agency.

Over 100 such staffers are currently spread throughout various departments, including State, Interior, Defence and Health and Human Services.

In just three months, Doge has triggered dramatic structural shifts across the government. According to a report by Challenger, Gray & Christmas, over 216,000 federal jobs have been eliminated as a result of Doge-led reviews.

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Many of these cuts have occurred in agencies long criticised by conservatives for inefficiency or mission overlap.

For example, Doge has played a central role in dismantling the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) — actions that have provoked legal action and sharp criticism from opposition leaders.

One of Doge’s targets has been the Office of Personnel Management, which it has largely brought under its control. This agency is responsible for managing the federal workforce and has become central to Doge’s goal of reshaping government employment.

Simultaneously, the IRS has also faced potential workforce reductions, with projections indicating it may lose nearly a quarter of its employees.

How Musk’s role & SGE status has been controversial

While Elon Musk has not held a Senate-confirmed position within Doge, his presence has defined the public identity of the initiative. He has referred to Doge as a priority and committed substantial time to its launch and development.

However, speaking on Tesla’s quarterly earnings call, Musk stated, “Starting probably next month, May, my time allocation to Doge will drop significantly.” He added that he would still remain available to assist, “as long as the president would like me to.”

His status as a Special Government Employee (SGE) has sparked legal and ethical debates. By definition, SGEs are limited to 130 days of service within a 365-day period.

In an April 9 letter to Trump, House Democrats cited this rule and expressed concerns over Musk’s continued involvement. They also pointed to potential conflicts of interest, given Musk’s leadership roles in Tesla and SpaceX — companies that have dealings with several of the federal agencies Doge is tasked with restructuring.

A report released by progressive watchdog group Public Citizen accused the administration of misusing SGE rules. Jon Golinger, who authored the report, stated: “Right now, the public has no way to know whether SGEs like Musk who don’t file public financial disclosure reports or are permitted to oversee themselves are putting the people’s interests ahead of their own.”

Despite this criticism, White House officials have not confirmed a definitive end date for Musk’s involvement, suggesting that the duration of his service is being calculated based on actual days and hours worked — a point still under review.

What the other employees in Doge look like

Although Musk has been the driving force behind Doge, the initiative’s continuity does not hinge entirely on his presence. The department’s embedded personnel, primarily consisting of engineers, attorneys and management consultants are expected to continue their work even after his withdrawal.

Amy Gleason, a former US Digital Service official, has served as Doge’s acting administrator. However, her involvement in day-to-day operations appears limited, reported The Wall Street Journal.

In contrast, Steve Davis, a longtime Musk collaborator from his time at SpaceX and The Boring Company, has taken a leading role in Doge’s operational efforts.

There is speculation that Davis may follow Musk back into the private sector, though no official statement has confirmed this.

Other Doge-associated figures have taken influential positions throughout the federal government. Jeremy Lewin, who was instrumental in closing down parts of USAID, now holds a senior role at the State Department.

Tyler Hassen, an oil executive who previously worked with Doge, is now positioned at the US Department of the Interior, reported The Wall Street Journal.

Doge continues to coordinate closely with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), led by Russell Vought. A staunch advocate of limited government and co-author of the Project 2025 blueprint, Vought’s expertise in budgetary policy has played a critical role in shaping Doge’s regulatory and fiscal strategy.

Paul Winfree, a former White House Domestic Policy Council deputy director, told The Wall Street Journal, “Pairing that depth of expertise with OMB’s policy leverage and Doge’s technological tool kit could amplify the effectiveness of both OMB and Doge.”

How Doge’s strategy is evolving

Doge’s strategy is evolving. Following an executive order issued in February, its priorities are shifting from reducing headcounts to dismantling federal regulations. Agencies are now required to identify rules that are either unconstitutional or that impose excessive costs on the private sector without commensurate public benefits.

Enforcement of such rules is to be deprioritised unless firmly grounded in statutory interpretation.

This pivot indicates that even as Musk steps aside, the broader mission of reshaping the regulatory framework of the federal government will continue under Doge’s oversight.

What legal challenges Doge faces

The department’s aggressive approach has drawn legal action from watchdog organisations and federal employee unions. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) filed a lawsuit in February, arguing that Doge was violating the Freedom of Information Act by withholding internal communications and documents.

US District Judge Christopher Cooper recently granted CREW a partial victory, ruling that Doge operates as a typical government agency and must comply with federal disclosure laws.

Cooper ordered the agency to release key documents, including emails between Doge and OMB. Additionally, he directed Amy Gleason and Steve Davis to provide depositions within 24 days of the ruling.

The case is expected to set important legal precedent regarding transparency obligations for quasi-governmental task forces like Doge.

Further legal friction surrounds Doge’s access to sensitive taxpayer information. In a case brought by the Center for Taxpayer Rights, the IRS is accused of unlawfully sharing confidential data with Doge personnel.

The outcome of the case could place significant restrictions on Doge’s ability to interface with federal databases.

Meanwhile, in National Treasury Employees Union v. Vought, a temporary injunction has halted Doge’s attempted dissolution of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

This represents one of several legal hurdles the administration faces in its attempts to restructure or shut down federal entities.

What Doge has planned next

Another major Doge project currently in development involves a new immigration pathway for high-net-worth individuals. Replacing the traditional EB-5 visa programme, the proposed “gold card” would offer residency and eventual citizenship to wealthy foreigners willing to invest $5 million in the United States.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick stated in February: “They’ll have to go through vetting, of course, to make sure they’re wonderful world-class global citizens… The president can give them a green card, and they can invest in America, and we can use that money to reduce our deficit.”

Doge staffers Marko Elez and Edward Coristine are spearheading the implementation, with Musk reportedly leading the development of the digital infrastructure for the programme.

The visa initiative is expected to launch soon and may become a defining element of Doge’s legacy.

Although Elon Musk is preparing to reduce his time commitment, Doge remains deeply entrenched in the federal government. Its teams are embedded, its directives are backed by executive authority, and its mission is closely tied to the Trump administration’s long-term vision for a smaller, deregulated government.

While Doge continues to operate under intense scrutiny — with ongoing legal proceedings, public criticism, and ethical questions — the systems and structures put in place are designed to outlast Musk’s tenure.

His departure may change the optics, but not the momentum. For now, Doge marches toward its July 4, 2026 sunset clause.

With inputs from agencies