The demise of DOGE appears to have been greatly exaggerated.
The Department of Government Efficiency dismissed a report from Reuters that it no longer exists Monday, calling it fake news in a social media post.
"President [Donald] Trump was given a mandate by the American people to modernize the federal government and reduce waste, fraud and abuse," DOGE wrote.
"Just last week, DOGE terminated 78 wasteful contracts and saved taxpayers $335M," DOGE added.
"We'll be back in a few days with our regularly scheduled Friday update," DOGE continued.
Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor told Reuters "that doesn't exist" when asked about DOGE's status earlier this month.
It is no longer a "centralized entity," Kupor added, in the first public comments from the Trump administration on the end of DOGE.
The agency, set up in January and initially led by tech mogul Elon Musk, made dramatic forays across Washington in the early months of Trump's second term to rapidly shrink federal agencies, cut their budgets or redirect their work to Trump priorities.
The OPM, the federal government's human resources office, has since taken over many of DOGE's functions, according to Kupor and documents reviewed by Reuters.
The fading away of DOGE is in sharp contrast to the government-wide effort over months to draw attention to it, with Trump, his advisers, and Cabinet secretaries posting about it on social media.
Musk regularly touted its work on his X platform and at one point brandished a chainsaw to advertise his efforts to cut government jobs.
Trump signed an executive order earlier in his term decreeing that DOGE would last through July 2026.
"President Trump was given a clear mandate to reduce waste, fraud and abuse across the federal government, and he continues to actively deliver on that commitment," said White House spokeswoman Liz Huston in an email to Reuters.
Trump administration officials have not openly said that DOGE no longer exists, even after Musk's public feud with Trump in May.
Musk has since left Washington.
Reuters contributed to this report.
Sam Barron ✉
Sam Barron has almost two decades of experience covering a wide range of topics including politics, crime and business.
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