Trump announces ‘DOGE’ advisory group, which attracts immediate hearings Via Reuters

By Raphael Satter, Tim Reid and Kanishka Singh

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday to create an advisory group called the Department of Government Spending aimed at reducing the power of the US government, attracting immediate lawsuits challenging the ts its performance.

The group — called the Department of Government Operations, or “DOGE” — is led by Tesla (NASDAQ: ) CEO Elon Musk and has ambitious goals of eliminating all federal agencies and reducing three-quarters of government jobs.

Failed Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy was the chairman but has withdrawn to run for the elected seat, Trump spokeswoman Anna Kelly said. A person familiar with Ramaswamy’s strategy says he is preparing to run for governor in Ohio.

“To restore efficiency and effectiveness to our federal government, my administration will create a new Department of Government Operations,” Trump said in his inaugural address on Monday.

The executive order, announced by the White House late Monday, stated the group’s goal of “improving government technology and software.”

Trump told reporters that there are plans to hire about 20 people to ensure the implementation of the team’s plans.

However, the committee, despite its name, is not a department and has limited official authority to make any adjustments, let alone the drastic cuts proposed by Musk. and Ramaswamy.

Unions of government workers, watchdog groups and public interest organizations were sued within minutes of the announcement.

Among them were the National Security Advisers, who alleged that the DOGE was violating a 1972 law governing federal advisory committees. So are the American Public Health Association, the American Federation of Teachers, and Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a watchdog group.

Another watchdog group, the Civil Society, blames DOGE’s inconsistent legal position, along with the union that represents US government employees.

Tesla and the White House Office of Management and Budget, which is named as a defendant in the lawsuits, did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.

Advisory committees on cutting government waste are often heralded with great fanfare and are often ignorant.

In 1982, former President Ronald Reagan announced a panel made up of “prominent experts from the private sector” to review executive branch spending. It finally submitted its report after 18 months; most of its recommendations were not implemented.