Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Updates | February 14, 2025

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was established by President Donald Trump through an Executive Order on January 20, 2025, with the aim of streamlining federal operations, eliminating unnecessary programs and reducing bureaucratic inefficiency. DOGE’s mission was further delineated through an Executive Order on February 11, 2025, authorizing it to oversee a federal employee reduction in force RIF.

As of February 14, 2025, DOGE has initiated several actions to fulfill its mandate:

Government-Wide Audit: DOGE has commenced a comprehensive audit across federal agencies to identify and eliminate waste, fraud and abuse, thereby protecting taxpayer dollars. | oversight.house.gov

Regulatory Rescissions: The department is focusing on rescinding redundant or outdated regulations to reduce administrative burdens and enhance efficiency.

Administrative Reductions: Efforts are underway to streamline administrative processes within federal agencies, aiming to cut down on unnecessary procedures and improve operational efficiency.

Cost Savings Initiatives: DOGE is implementing strategies to reduce government spending by identifying areas of inefficiency and reallocating resources more effectively.

Software Modernization Initiative: In collaboration with the US Digital Service (USDS), DOGE has launched an initiative to modernize federal technology and software, aiming to maximize governmental efficiency and productivity. | whitehouse.gov

These initiatives reflect DOGE’s commitment to enhancing the efficiency of federal government operations.

DOGE is focusing its efforts on several federal agencies to streamline operations and reduce spending. Key targets include:

US Agency for International Development (USAID): DOGE’s initial actions have significantly impacted USAID, including closing its headquarters, which has disrupted its functions and calling for the termination of staff. The legality of such alterations without congressional approval is under scrutiny.

Legal Challenges and Court Decisions:

Judge Nichols extended the freeze on the administration’s plans, preventing further layoffs and program terminations at USAID for an additional week. This extension aimed to provide more time to assess the legality and implications of DOGE’s actions.

Temporary Restraining Order (February 7, 2025):

The American Foreign Service Association and the American Federation of Government Employees filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, challenging the abrupt shutdown of USAID.

Federal Judge Carl J. Nichols issued a temporary restraining order, halting the administration’s plans to place 2,200 USAID employees on administrative leave and mandating the restoration of their email access.

Extension of the Freeze (February 13, 2025):

Judge Nichols extended the freeze on the administration’s plans, preventing further layoffs and program terminations at USAID for an additional week. This extension aimed to provide more time to assess the legality and implications of DOGE’s actions.

General Services Administration (GSA): DOGE is evaluating GSA’s real estate leases, particularly underutilized office spaces, to identify potential cost savings.

Department of Defense (DoD): Plans are underway to assess military spending, with a focus on identifying and eliminating waste, fraud and abuse within defense programs.

Department of Health and Human Services (HHS): DOGE aims to scrutinize health care programs to identify inefficiencies and reduce excessive payments.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Programs Across Various Agencies: Initial cuts have targeted DEI initiatives, reflecting the administration’s broader agenda to eliminate certain programs.

These efforts are part of DOGE’s broader mandate to streamline federal operations and achieve significant cost savings.

Multiple legal challenges aimed at halting or restricting DOGE activities have been filed. Key lawsuits include:

1. State Attorneys General Lawsuit: A coalition of 19 Democratic attorneys general filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, alleging that DOGE unlawfully accessed the Treasury Department’s central payment system, which handles sensitive personal data of millions of Americans. The lawsuit contends that such access violates federal laws designed to protect personal information and oversteps executive authority. In response, a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction blocking DOGE from accessing these records and ordered the immediate destruction of any already obtained data.
2. Federal Employee Unions’ Legal Action: Three federal employee unions—the Alliance for Retired Americans, the American Federation of Government Employees and the Service Employees International Union—sued the Treasury Department. They accused Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent of unlawfully granting DOGE unprecedented access to sensitive information, arguing that this action violated privacy laws and compromised the security of federal employees’ personal data.
3. Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) Violations: Several lawsuits have been filed alleging that DOGE violates the Federal Advisory Committee Act, which mandates transparency and balanced representation in advisory committees. The suits claim that DOGE operates without proper disclosure and fails to provide public access to its records and proceedings, thereby breaching federal transparency requirements.

These legal challenges underscore the contentious nature of DOGE’s operations and raise significant questions about executive authority, data privacy and adherence to federal laws.