Introduction to DOGE

Since the first days of the Trump administration, Elon Musk's so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has been everywhere in the federal government, moving fast and breaking things. In a matter of weeks, DOGE operatives have spread across dozens of government agencies as they have attempted to terminate tens of thousands of federal employees.

The big takeaway: Many on the DOGE team are from Musk's world. If Musk is America's CEO, then DOGE has become his Silicon Valley executive branch.

Connections to Musk's Companies

Forty-nine people on the list have connections to Musk, his companies, or his greater network. This connection is most often through one of his allies or one of his companies. There are the obvious people like Steve Davis, president of Musk's Boring Company, who have followed Musk across his various ventures.

SpaceX has significant representation in DOGE, with 16 of the 80 listed DOGE operatives having worked there in some capacity. SpaceX employees have appeared at the Federal Aviation Administration, which could present a worrisome conflict of interest, and have also appeared at SSA, OPM, and the Department of Energy.

Conflict of Interest Concerns

Again and again members of the administration have asserted that there is no conflict of interest between members of DOGE or DOGE affiliates and their work in government. But that becomes harder to believe when people like Musk and others in government—who benefit from government contracts—continue to hold positions in the private sector.