Critics swing between accusing the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) of overreach and declaring it a failure at cutting government.
Here are some reality checks:
DOGE-like efforts are not new. George H.W. Bush’s Council on Competitiveness was created to ease regulatory burdens. Led by Vice President Dan Quayle, it worked to slow or stop costly rules and made agencies take the economic effects more seriously. While some saw it as business-friendly, mirroring criticisms of DOGE today, it helped put regulatory costs on the map.
The scope of DOGE, like that of the executive branch, is inherently limited. Like most executive orders, the directive establishing DOGE states it “shall be implemented consistent with applicable law.” Flashy but temporary, DOGE is set to dissolve by July 4, 2026.
DOGE can’t abolish agencies without Congress, but the president can scale back operations and deflate executive branch entities.