As tech billionaire Elon Musk prepares to launch his new Government Efficiency Departmentanswers are emerging about how the cost-cutting agency will operate, but government watchdog groups say the agency’s purported scope and its level of transparency raise more questions.
An executive order signed by President Donald Trump on Monday said DOGE will be established in the Executive Office of the President as an 18-month temporary agency under the United States Digital Service, now called the United States DOGE Service (USDS).
Notably, the executive order set out only a narrow mission for DOGE: modernizing “federal technology and software” to maximize government efficiency and productivity, as opposed to the broad mission to destroy the federal government that Trump and Musk have been promoting for months.
Some ethics experts expressed concern that the agency’s narrow agenda could be an attempt to circumvent regulations under the Federal Advisory Commission Act as described in the executive order, a 1972 law that subjects commissions to a detailed authorization process that clearly outlines the commission’s activities. , and making its meetings and minutes known to the public.
“One thing that needs to be determined is whether DOGE is operating in a way that is consistent with that narrow executive order,” said Kedric Payne, ethics director at the Campaign Legal Center, a watchdog group.
“The executive order makes it appear that their mission is very narrow, but in reality DOGE’s agenda appears to be much broader. And if they begin to enforce the actual DOGE agenda, that will indicate that they may not be operating within compliance. Under the federal law that applies to executive order advisory committees there may be, which will trigger other disclosure requirements,” he said.
Trump officially announced DOGE in November, tapping Musk and biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy to lead the operation “out of government” — it raises concerns by some ethics experts due to the lack of disclosure of two wealthy businessmen with deep financial interests.
Tesla, SpaceX and X CEO Elon Musk gestures during an inauguration ceremony on Jan. 20, 2025, in Washington.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Most high-ranking federal officials, including cabinet secretaries and senior White House officials, are required to publicly disclose their personal finances to ensure transparency and to inform the public of their financial ties, whether related or unrelated to their official duties.
But while Trump’s executive order details some aspects of how DOGE will be structured and operated, it remains unclear what, if any, public disclosure requirements Musk and his representatives will meet as they work closely with the White House and various agencies. potential mission to reduce federal government.
“Trump’s executive order provides little detail and even less assurance that Elon Musk and DOGE staff will follow proper ethical and transparency guidelines, so we will continue to pursue all legal avenues to enforce DOGE’s activities,” Executive Director and Chief. Donald Sherman, counsel for the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics (CREW) in Washington, wrote in a statement.
Musk, for his part, has promised to be open about DOGE’s commitments, posting on X that Trump in November “will post all actions of the Department of Government Efficiency online for maximum transparency.”
“The transition team will ensure that the Department of Government Efficiency and those involved with it comply with all legal guidelines related to conflicts of interest,” Trump transition spokesman Brian Hughes told ABC News in November.
Ramaswamy DOGE has recently gonebut Musk has continued to make a presence in Trump’s White House, including being seen in the White House on the West Wing this week, sources told ABC News. Musk is also said to have an all-access badge and office space in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, which is adjacent to the White House.
Trump’s executive order suggests that DOGE will be led by the administrator of the United States DOGE Service, who will report to White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, but it is unclear whether Musk will be the new USDS administrator. The previous United States Digital Services administrator, Mina Hsiang, publicly released her divestment certificate, but not her full personal financial disclosure.
The executive order also alleged that some DOGE employees could be included as special government employees, who must submit their personal financial statements for reviews by the Office of Government Ethics, but do not have to make these disclosures public, and that DOGE employees in each agency will disclose to the agencies their agenda. to help establish
Payne of the Campaign Legal Center said that if Musk and other DOGE employees are classified as special government employees, they would at least go through a rigorous internal review process by the Office of Government Ethics, even if their finances are not publicly disclosed.
Earlier this week, CREW, the law firm National Security Counselors and several other watchdog groups filed one of these. several lawsuits Demanding transparency from the DOGE and arguing that it should be subject to the Federal Advisory Commission Act.
“Laws have meaning, workers have rights, and real reform requires real accountability,” National Security Adviser Jerald Lentini said in a statement to ABC News.
The lawsuit asks the court to declare DOGE improperly constituted and to enjoin Musk, Ramaswamy “and all DOGE subunits from holding any further meetings, sessions or hearings or conducting any official business on behalf of DOGE.”
“President Trump and his team have gone back and forth to ensure that their billionaire donor Elon Musk has no input or transparency from DOGE without input or transparency from the millions of Americans who may be affected by DOGE’s recommendations,” CREW’s Sherman wrote. .
Musk, responding to news of the lawsuits, posted on X: “Can someone start a lawsuit counter? How long until the triples hit?”
ABC News’ Katherine Faulders and Will Steakin contributed to this report.
