US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order establishing the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to implement the President’s agenda aimed at modernizing federal technology and software, boosting government efficiency and productivity.
The newly created DOGE will be led by Tesla CEO Elon Musk. As part of the executive order, the United States Digital Service (USDS) has been rebranded as the United States DOGE Service (USDS) and will operate under the Executive Office of the President.
The USDS Administrator, who will report to the White House Chief of Staff, will oversee the establishment of the USDS Temporary Organization, which is dedicated to advancing the President’s 18-month DOGE agenda. This temporary organization will operate until July 4, 2026, at which point it will be dissolved, though its closure will not affect any other aspects of the executive order.
The executive order outlines that each federal agency will form a DOGE Team, including at least four employees, in consultation with the USDS Administrator. The teams will typically consist of a DOGE team lead, an engineer, a human resources specialist, and an attorney. The team leads will work closely with the USDS to advise their respective agency heads on implementing the DOGE agenda.
A key aspect of the DOGE initiative is the launch of a Software Modernization Initiative to enhance the quality and efficiency of government-wide software, network infrastructure, and IT systems. The initiative will also focus on promoting interoperability across federal agencies’ systems, ensuring data integrity, and facilitating responsible data collection and synchronization.
The executive order mandates that agency heads provide full and prompt access to unclassified records, software systems, and IT infrastructure for the USDS. It also emphasizes rigorous data protection standards to ensure secure handling of information.
This order supersedes previous executive orders and regulations that may have hindered the USDS’s access to agency records and systems.
Following Trump’s inauguration, Indian-origin entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy announced on X that he would no longer co-head the DOGE with Elon Musk. In his post, Ramaswamy expressed his pride in helping create the DOGE and affirmed his support for Musk and the team. “I’m confident that Elon and team will succeed in streamlining government. I’ll have more to say very soon about my future plans in Ohio. Most importantly, we’re all-in to help President Trump make America great again!” he wrote.
