Scott Patterson, a WSJ reporter specializing in government operations, dives deep into DOGE's clandestine activities during Trump's presidency. He reveals how DOGE's programmers infiltrated the Office of Personnel Management, leading to controversial layoffs across federal agencies. Patterson discusses the backlash from agency leaders and the ethical implications of these maneuvers. He also critiques DOGE's claims of saving billions, exposing discrepancies in reported figures, while highlighting the unintended consequences of such drastic leadership decisions on the federal workforce.
Doge, leveraging secretive methods, aggressively targets federal agencies to reshape workforce culture while facing scrutiny over its legal boundaries.
Claims of saving billions by Doge are questioned as analyses reveal many financial benefits may be overstated or previously settled.
Deep dives
Doge's Rapid Implementation and Secretive Approach
Doge, the Department of Government Efficiency, is making swift and aggressive moves to reduce the federal workforce by targeting agencies such as USAID, FAA, and FEMA. By leveraging access to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Doge aims to streamline operations and cut spending, claiming that their actions are essential to prevent national bankruptcy. The team, largely comprised of young programmers affiliated with Elon Musk's companies, employs a secretive, controlling strategy to insulate themselves from career staff and cursorily access sensitive government data. Their approach has been critiqued for testing legal boundaries as they implement a scorched-earth policy toward federal efficiency, including restricting career staff access to essential computer systems.
Mass Communications as a Tool for Workforce Reduction
Doge has effectively utilized a mass email system to compel federal employees to either resign for a paid leave or risk termination, demonstrating a strategic method of organizational restructuring. Their communications have a direct impact, revealing how Doge aims to exert pressure on employees to decrease the workforce while fundamentally altering agency culture. This impactful outreach was exemplified when Doge emailed employees with demands for self-reported accomplishments, prompting strong pushback from leaders within departments that handle sensitive operations, such as the FBI. Such tactics indicate Doge's willingness to push boundaries and can be seen as both a performance review and a means to gauge employee compliance.
Evaluation of Doge's Financial Claims and Future Prospects
While Doge claims to have saved the government up to $65 billion through various efficiencies, an analysis suggests that many of these savings may be exaggerated, raising questions about the organization's overall effectiveness. Critically, assessments have revealed that many canceled contracts were already financially settled, thus offering little actual savings. Musk's initial ambitious goal of achieving $2 trillion in reductions is increasingly viewed as unrealistic given the complexities of federal budgeting and the need for legislative action. As Doge continues to assert its influence, speculation grows about its potential viability and the long-term ramifications of its initiatives on the federal landscape.
In the first few minutes of the Trump presidency, Elon Musk’s programmers made a surprise incursion into a key personnel agency. Since then, DOGE programmers operating in the shadows have burrowed into systems across the government, resulting in thousands of layoffs. WSJ’s Scott Patterson explains how DOGE has entered vast parts of the federal bureaucracy.
