The Dangers of DOGE: Investigating the Department of Government Efficiency w/ ProPublica

The Dangers of DOGE: Investigating the Department of Government Efficiency

Host: ProPublica

Virtual Event on Apr 17, 2025 @ 1 PM PT (4 PM ET)

Info & registration: https://www.propublica.org/events/investigating-the-department-of-government-efficiency

Submit your question below when you RSVP.


As President Donald Trump dismantles the federal government one agency at a time, he has handed Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, unprecedented power to cut and reshape the U.S. bureaucracy. Trump established the Department of Government Efficiency, which is overseen by Musk, in January with the goal of reducing federal spending and streamlining government operations.

In the spirit of public accountability, ProPublica is identifying the staffers working for this highly secretive group. By late March, we profiled 66 staffers helping DOGE, which has cut humanitarian programs domestically and abroad and fired tens of thousands of federal workers. (Some of these staffers have ties to Musk’s private enterprises.)

Despite DOGE’s mission to reduce federal spending, its own funding reached nearly $40 million within the administration’s first month. The department’s ambiguous leadership structure has also led to legal challenges and judicial scrutiny regarding the legitimacy of DOGE’s actions.

Our reporting team has examined the recruitment of attorneys, including former Supreme Court clerks, who have been brought onto the DOGE team as it undertakes significant initiatives across various government agencies.​

The department’s actions have led to legal challenges, with several groups alleging its operations may be unlawful. These disputes have the potential to escalate to the Supreme Court, highlighting the critical role that these lawyers may play in navigating the complex legal landscape surrounding DOGE’s activities.

During this virtual event, ProPublica’s reporting team will review what they’ve learned about the inner workings of DOGE and answer your presubmitted questions. Submit your question below when you RSVP.

Speakers include:

--Ginger Thompson, ProPublica managing editor

--Ronnie Greene, ProPublica senior editor

--Avi Asher-Schapiro, ProPublica reporter

--Christopher Bing, ProPublica reporter

--Annie Waldman, ProPublica reporter