The sudden departure of Elon Musk from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) left behind a trail of chaos and confusion in Washington. The once-thriving organization, aimed at shrinking the federal bureaucracy, was plagued by public scrutiny, backlash from Cabinet officials, and even the prospect of criminal charges against its staffers.
In June, DOGE’s figurehead Musk had a falling-out with his patron Donald Trump, leading to a crisis that left the department in jeopardy. Without Musk’s protection, young engineers who worked under him were suddenly exposed. Musk, who claimed to have a direct line to Trump, was their protector and mentor.
As Musk left Washington, senior DOGE figure Donald Park tried to reassure colleagues that they would still be protected by Musk. However, others warned that they needed to watch their backs, as the department’s mission was under threat from Trump’s political considerations.
DOGE staffers were divided over what to do next. Some wanted to continue working on the federal bureaucracy with collaboration from other parts of government, while others sought to push their own priorities and distance themselves from Davis, the de facto head of DOGE who refused to acknowledge that Musk was gone.
The loyalty inspired by Davis in some DOGE employees combined with deep skepticism from others made a clean transition impossible. After realizing that Davis intended to stay on as the leader of DOGE despite being let go by the White House, rival factions began to compete for control of what Musk had built.
DOGE’s influence was eventually neutered when the White House installed Mike Rigas, a former OMB and GSA official, as acting administrator. A more dispersed version of DOGE emerged, with its members focusing on specific policy areas with limited authority.
Some former DOGE employees now report to federal agencies, while others are involved in new initiatives, such as digitalizing the federal retirement system or promoting economic development through bilateral models. Adam Blake and Jeremy Lewin have taken over key roles within the Department of Energy and State Department, respectively.
The animating impulse behind DOGE – shrinking government without regard for Congress’s spending decisions – may be stronger than ever, now in the hands of Vought, who is plotting to reduce the federal workforce.
Source: https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2025/11/21/doge-elon-musk-succession-00641110