# Establishing the Department of Government Efficiency

> Created DOGE to slash federal spending, headcount and regulation, initially led by Elon Musk. It drove mass layoffs.

Donald Trump · Government & Workforce · Executive Order · EO 14158 · Jan 20, 2025
Official record: https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2025-02005

## What happened

Created DOGE to slash federal spending, headcount and regulation, initially led by Elon Musk. It drove mass layoffs, contract cancellations and agency restructurings through 2025.

## How it happened

Established by executive order on Inauguration Day, reorganizing the U.S. Digital Service.

## Documented impact

- [mixed / substantiated] Produced the largest peacetime federal workforce reduction on record. — From Jan 2025–Jan 2026 the federal workforce fell by ~387,000 (about 9%), including ~17,000 reductions in force.
- [negative / substantiated] Claimed savings are unverified and overall spending rose. — DOGE claimed ~$215B saved, but GAO and analysts could not verify the figures; Treasury data show federal outlays kept rising. Some agencies later rehired staff.

## Public opinion

Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)

Approve: 37% · Disapprove: 45%

About 45% say the cuts to federal agencies have 'gone too far.'

Source: Economist/YouGov, Apr 2025

## Sources

- [Federal Register: EO 14158](https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2025-02005)
- [Cato: largest peacetime workforce cut, spending kept rising](https://www.cato.org/blog/doge-produced-largest-peacetime-workforce-cut-record-spending-kept-rising-0)
- [NPR: DOGE cuts being undone](https://www.npr.org/2025/10/01/nx-s1-5558298/doge-fiscal-year-savings-budget-rehired-government-shutdown)

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