Former President Donald Trump unveiled a new advisory group on Monday aimed at drastically cutting the U.S. government’s size. The group, named the Department of Government Efficiency, or “DOGE,” is being led by Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, with ambitious plans to eliminate several federal agencies and reduce the federal workforce by 75%.
The executive order, signed by Trump, outlines the group’s primary goal of modernizing federal technology and software. Trump emphasized that the initiative would bring greater competence and efficiency to government operations. He also announced plans to hire around 20 individuals to help implement the group’s objectives.
However, the new group, despite its bold name, does not have the official power of a federal department and lacks authority to execute major changes. This has already led to a swift backlash. Within hours of the announcement, multiple lawsuits were filed against the group. Several government unions, advocacy organizations, and public interest groups argue that DOGE violates existing laws governing federal advisory committees.
Among the plaintiffs is the National Security Counselors, which claims the group is violating the 1972 Federal Advisory Committee Act. Other groups, including the American Federation of Teachers and Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, have also filed legal challenges, questioning DOGE’s legal foundation and status.
The White House and Tesla have yet to respond to the lawsuits. Legal experts have noted that advisory committees like DOGE are often created with much fanfare but tend to achieve little in practice. For example, a similar initiative launched by President Ronald Reagan in 1982 ultimately failed to implement its key recommendations.
As the legal battles begin, the future of DOGE remains uncertain, with critics pointing to potential legal and operational hurdles that could delay or derail its goals.
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