While tech billionaire Elon Musk is preparing for launching the new Department of Government Efficiency, answers are beginning to dais how cost -saving agency will work – but government guard groups say the alleged scope of the agency and its level of transparency raises even more questions.
An order signed by President Donald Trump on Monday said DOGE will be established in the president’s executive office as a temporary 18-month organization under the recycled United States Digital Service, now called United States Doge Service (USDS).
It is noteworthy that the Executive Order only established a narrow role in DODE: to modernize “Federal Technology and Software to maximize state efficiency and productivity,” as opposed to the extensive mission of teasing the federal government that Trump and Musk have promoted for months.
Some ethical experts expressed concern that the agency’s narrow agenda as described in the Executive Order could be an attempt to avoid rules under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, a 1972 law that submits the advisory committee a specific approval process within a clear extent of the committee’s committee activities and to publish his meetings and records.
“One thing to focus on is whether DOGE works in a way that is in line with the narrow order,” said Ethical Director Kedric Payne of Campaign Legal Center-Guard Group.
“The notice makes it look like their mission is very narrow, but in reality the Doge agenda seems to be much wider. And if they start fulfilling the true dove agenda, it will indicate that They may not operate in the compliance of the Executive Order It may be subject to the federal legislation that applies to the Consulting Committee, which will trigger other information requirements, “he said.
Trump officially announced DODE back in November, when he got Musk and Biotek Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy at the forefront of the operation “Outside the Government” – giving rise to concerns from some ethical experts over a possible lack of revelations from two wealthy businessmen with deep financial Interests.
Tesla, SpaceX and X CEO Elon Musk Gesticulates while speaking during an inauguration event on January 20, 2025 in Washington.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Most senior federal officials, including cabinet secretaries and top officials in the White House, are obliged to publish their personal finances to ensure transparency and to inform the public about any financial ties related to or not related to their official roles.
But in spite of Trump’s order that establishes some aspects of how doge will be structured and driven, it is still unclear which, if any, requirements for publication Musk and his deputies will be bound by as they work closely with it White House and Different Agencies to carry out the potentially far -reaching mission to cut down on the federal government.
“The Trump Executive Order provides few details and even less assurance that Elon Musk and Doge employees will comply in accordance, ”says CEO and boss. Advisor Donald Sherman from the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (Crew) wrote in a statement.
Musk, in turn, promised to be open about DOGE’s commitment, posting X shortly after Trump’s announcement in November that “All actions of the Department of Government Efficiency will be published online for maximum transparency.”
“The transition team will ensure that the Department of Government Efficiency and those involved with it comply with all legal guidelines related to conflicts of interest,” Trump’s transition spokesman Brian Hughes told ABC News in November.
Ramaswamy left DOGE recently, but Musk has continued to exercise his presence in Trump’s White House, including being seen in the White House in West Wing several times this week, sources told ABC News. Musk is also said to have an all-access badge and office space in Eisenhower Executive Office Building, located next to the White House.
Trump’s order suggests that DOGE will be led by the US Doge Service administrator, who is set to report to the White House’s chief of staff Susie Wiles, but it is unclear whether Musk will be the new USDS administrator. Former US Digital Service administrator, Mina Hsiang, published her certificate of divestment but not her full personal financial disclosure.
The Executive Order also accused that some DODE employees could be brought in as special state employees who are obliged to submit their personal financial information to the Office of Government Ethics’ reviews but do not need to publish this information-and that Doge employees will be deployed in each agency to help agencies implement their agenda.
Campaign Legal Center’s Payne said that if Musk and other Doge employees are classified as special state employees, they would at least review the Office of Government Ethics’ strict internal control process even if their finances are not publicly published.
Earlier this week, the crew, the law firm National Security Country and several other watchdog groups built one of several lawsuits that demanded transparency from DOGE and argued that it should be subject to the Federal Advisory Committee law.
“Laws are important, workers have rights, and real reform requires real accountability,” the National Security Counselor’s lawyer Jercald Lentini told ABC News in a statement.
The trial requests the court to find that DOGE is not properly composed, and to permanently order Musk, Ramaswamy “and all DOGE’s subunits to hold additional meetings, sessions or hearings or perform any official business at all on behalf of DOGE.”
“President Trump and his team have bent backwards to make sure his billionaire donor Elon Musk can drive Doge without input from or transparency with the millions of ordinary Americans whose lives and livelihoods can be affected by Dog’s recommendations,” wrote Crews Sherman. .
Musk, who responded to the news of the lawsuits, wrote on X: “Can anyone start a trial counter? How long before we hit three -digit digits?”
ABC News’ Katherine Faulders and Will Steakin contributed to this report.
