Unveiling the Mystery: Who Really Controls Elon Musk’s DOGE? Insights from the White House

Who is in charge of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)? You might think it’s Elon Musk, especially since Trump once suggested he would lead it. But when Trump created this group through an executive order, he didn’t specify who would head it. The order states there will be a U.S. DOGE Service Administrator, reporting to the White House Chief of Staff. However, the White House hasn’t revealed who that person is.

Recently, a White House official, Joshua Fisher, clarified that Musk is not the DOGE Administrator. Instead, he is described as an employee in the White House office, not part of DOGE itself. This has caused some confusion because Trump often promotes Musk as a key player in the effort. Just last week, Musk spoke to the press about DOGE.

The secrecy surrounding DOGE has people talking. Despite Musk’s claim that the initiative aims for “maximal transparency,” the lack of information about the administrator fuels speculation. The previous organization, the U.S. Digital Service, had visible leaders like Mina Hsiang. Now, potential candidates for the DOGE Administrator could include Steve Davis, a long-time associate of Musk, or Brad Smith, a former official from Trump’s first term.

The DOGE Administrator will have important responsibilities. They will assist agency leaders in choosing their teams and kickstart a Software Modernization Initiative to improve government technology. An executive order released recently outlines that the administrator will receive monthly hiring updates from federal agencies and must submit a report to Trump within 240 days on how the initiative is progressing.

As of now, it remains unclear who will write that report.