"Billions and billions in savings?": How the DOGE continues to make its mark on Washington

Although it was supposed to officially self-destruct on July 4, 2026, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—initially led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to slash the federal budget—is still active.

Despite legal actions initiated by some federal officials, despite the lack of transparency that has been repeatedly criticized, and despite the freezing of certain radical measures by activists or states, the department’s work continues behind the scenes (even though its website is currently inactive).

As Katie Miller, a former DOGE staffer, perfectly summed up on the day of this so-called expiration: “DOGE is a way of life… It never stops.” According to the Washington Post, some twenty key members remain in strategic positions within the Trump administration, from the Pentagon to the State Department.

Although several restructuring measures were subsequently rescinded, the DOGE’s tenure has left a deep mark on Washington: forced internal reorganizations (particularly within the Social Security Administration), a rise in local unemployment, and a climate of fear among civil servants.

Bye-bye Musk, but not your department

After leaving the agency in May 2025, Elon Musk wondered about the fate of the DOGE, hoping it would emerge unscathed from the initial budget cuts.“Does Buddhism need the Buddha? Didn’t it become stronger after his passing?”

And history seems to prove him right. The spirit of DOGE now lives on through other specific, targeted initiatives, such as J.D. Vance’s anti-fraud task force.

Today, the Democratic opposition is demanding accountability regarding the handling of sensitive data, while dissent is beginning to spread among some Republicans, who are questioning whether all these upheavals were necessary. Senator Thom Tillis, in particular, has expressed skepticism about the actual results: “There’s been a lot of talk about savings amounting to billions and billions of dollars. I just want to know where you’ve accounted for them and where I can see them.”