Elon Musk's 'Government Efficiency' Department Revealed to Be a Renamed Obama Agency Tasked with Updating Software

Elon Musk's highly-touted Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), intended to combat government inefficiency, has turned out to be little more than a renamed initiative from the Obama administration.

Far from the vision Musk and President Donald Trump had promised, the agency is focused on software updates and federal workforce reductions rather than dismantling bureaucracy.

The executive orders signed on Monday by Trump, one of his first major actions since retaking office, rebranded the United States Digital Service (USDS), a unit established after the 2013 launch of HealthCare.gov, as the "U.S. DOGE Service."

Instead of delivering sweeping cuts to regulations and spending, DOGE will continue USDS's mission of modernizing federal IT infrastructure.

White House reporter Jeff Stein featured the stark differences on X, "1/20/25 (left): How Trump's EO today defined DOGE: Modernizing federal technology and software....11/12/24 (right): Trump 1st announces DOGE as set up to 'dismantle' bureaucracy, slash spending/regulations, restructure federal agencies"

"Very efficient! After all the fanfare, DOGE won't be a new 'department' after all—it will just be a new name for the United States Digital Service," Gabe Fleisher added.

DOGE was announced as an ambitious effort to slash $2 trillion in federal spending. Its goal is to achieve this by cutting funding for NGOs, reducing regulations, and even eliminating entire agencies, as reported by Quartz.

The newly formed DOGE will establish four-person teams across federal agencies to streamline technology and assist in hiring, far from the disruptive plans initially outlined.

In line with Musk's preferences, Trump banned remote work for federal employees and pushed for hiring reforms that eliminate diversity requirements.

"[Musk is] getting an office for about 20 people we're hiring to make sure these get implemented," said Trump during Monday's press event​​ per Quartz.

"There will be meaningful progress every week," Musk added.

The initiative is already facing backlash. Several lawsuits have been filed by unions and watchdog organizations, including the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), which accused the administration of prioritizing corporate interests over transparency.

"AFGE will not stand idly by as a secretive group of ultra-wealthy individuals with major conflicts of interest attempt to deregulate themselves and give their own companies sweetheart government contracts while firing civil servants and dismantling the institutions designed to serve the American people," said AFGE National President Everett Kelley in a press release. "This fight is about fairness, accountability, and the integrity of our government. Federal employees are not the problem—they are the solution. They deserve to have their voices heard in decisions that affect their work, their agencies, and the public they serve."