President Donald Trump’s marquee cost-cutting experiment is winding down. The Office of Personnel Management’s director says the Department of Government Efficiency “doesn’t exist” as a centralized unit, signaling a quiet end to the headline-grabbing initiative once fronted by Elon Musk.
On November 23, 2025, Reuters reported that the Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE, has effectively been disbanded with about eight months left on its mandate. OPM Director Scott Kupor said the unit no longer exists as a centralized entity, and many of its functions have been absorbed by OPM and other parts of the executive branch. Former DOGE figures have moved into roles elsewhere, including a White House–backed National Design Studio led by Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia to modernize federal websites. Kupor also indicated a government-wide hiring freeze associated with DOGE has ended. Hiring freeze tied to DOGE has ended.
DOGE was created by executive order in January 2025 to “streamline” government, reduce spending and cut bureaucracy. The White House framed the effort as part of a broader push to shrink the federal footprint and prioritize efficiency across agencies. Musk initially served as the public face of the program, touring agencies and promoting aggressive targets. He later stepped away from government service in late May 2025 after reaching the time limits of his special government employee designation, while signaling he would continue advising the president. Musk left the government role in May 2025.
For agencies, DOGE’s fade means less centralized oversight of cost-cutting and workforce moves, even as the administration continues to emphasize deregulation and efficiency through existing channels. Many DOGE-era policies have been folded into regular agency operations, with OPM now coordinating changes in areas like hiring and workforce planning. The White House has said the broader mission of curbing waste and improving performance remains intact, even if the brand and structure of DOGE do not. OPM says DOGE no longer exists as a centralized entity.