Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has taken a significant hit to its credibility, with sources revealing that the agency's efforts to downsize the federal workforce have severely impacted a key Pentagon tech team.
According to documents obtained by The Intercept, DOGE embarked on an aggressive and highly questionable effort nearly a year ago, shuttering programs, pushing out personnel, and terminating contracts in an attempt to gut the administrative state. While the initiative claimed to solely target fraud, waste, and abuse, the reality is far more complex.
The Pentagon's IT office, which plays a critical role in maintaining secure channels for military assets worldwide, has been severely hampered by DOGE's actions. The unit, known as J6, was unable to obtain necessary software due to staffing shortages caused by the agency's cuts. This has resulted in significant risks to the Department of Defense's ability to communicate with itself.
A recent memo from the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) highlights the extent of the problem: "During calendar year 2025, the DISA/J6 program office has been unexpectedly and significantly impacted by Government programs that incentivized personnel separation or extended periods of leave."
The consequences are far-reaching. A critical contract for a Pentagon cloud-computing service was lost due to the departure of an officer responsible for managing the project. This has left the department's systems facing extreme risk of loss of service.
As one official noted, "We have been cut significantly" due to DOGE's initiatives. The situation is dire enough that the Pentagon's very ability to communicate and operate effectively is at risk.
While DISA operates behind the scenes, its networks are critical to the armed forces' ability to function. A failure in this sector would be catastrophic.
The Intercept has long reported on the dangers of authoritarianism and the erosion of democratic institutions. The actions of DOGE and its leader, Elon Musk, pose a significant threat to the U.S. government's ability to operate effectively.
Far too many news outlets have been covering these developments with a "business as usual" approach, using flattery-laden headlines that downplay the severity of the situation. It's time for a change in tone and approach – The Intercept is committed to holding those in power accountable and reporting on the facts, no matter how uncomfortable they may be.
If you value independent journalism and want to support our work, consider becoming a member today.
According to documents obtained by The Intercept, DOGE embarked on an aggressive and highly questionable effort nearly a year ago, shuttering programs, pushing out personnel, and terminating contracts in an attempt to gut the administrative state. While the initiative claimed to solely target fraud, waste, and abuse, the reality is far more complex.
The Pentagon's IT office, which plays a critical role in maintaining secure channels for military assets worldwide, has been severely hampered by DOGE's actions. The unit, known as J6, was unable to obtain necessary software due to staffing shortages caused by the agency's cuts. This has resulted in significant risks to the Department of Defense's ability to communicate with itself.
A recent memo from the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) highlights the extent of the problem: "During calendar year 2025, the DISA/J6 program office has been unexpectedly and significantly impacted by Government programs that incentivized personnel separation or extended periods of leave."
The consequences are far-reaching. A critical contract for a Pentagon cloud-computing service was lost due to the departure of an officer responsible for managing the project. This has left the department's systems facing extreme risk of loss of service.
As one official noted, "We have been cut significantly" due to DOGE's initiatives. The situation is dire enough that the Pentagon's very ability to communicate and operate effectively is at risk.
While DISA operates behind the scenes, its networks are critical to the armed forces' ability to function. A failure in this sector would be catastrophic.
The Intercept has long reported on the dangers of authoritarianism and the erosion of democratic institutions. The actions of DOGE and its leader, Elon Musk, pose a significant threat to the U.S. government's ability to operate effectively.
Far too many news outlets have been covering these developments with a "business as usual" approach, using flattery-laden headlines that downplay the severity of the situation. It's time for a change in tone and approach – The Intercept is committed to holding those in power accountable and reporting on the facts, no matter how uncomfortable they may be.
If you value independent journalism and want to support our work, consider becoming a member today.
elon musk's DOE is literally causing chaos in the pentagon 
it's not just about cutting costs, it's about putting national security at risk 
they're basically playing with fire and expecting nothing to happen 
anyway, i'm all for holding those in power accountable 
but we need more than just flattery-laden headlines we need hard-hitting reporting that actually exposes the truth 
i'm glad The Intercept is stepping up and doing some real journalism 
let's keep the pressure on DOE to get their act together 
I think this whole situation with Elon Musk's DOGE is super concerning 
. By cutting staff and contracts without thinking through the consequences, they're putting critical systems at risk 
.
. I mean, we get it, inefficiencies need to be cut, but not at the expense of national security 
. The fact that the situation is dire enough to threaten the Pentagon's ability to communicate and operate effectively is just alarming 
.
. It feels like they're more focused on giving Elon Musk a pass than scrutinizing his actions 
. As an independent observer, it's essential that we keep an eye on these developments and hold those in power accountable 
.
gotta wonder what kind of "efficiency" is supposed to come outta this 
we can't have our military goin' dark just 'cause some bureaucrat got a little too aggressive 
. News outlets need to stop sugarcoating this and start taking it seriously - we can't just keep sweeping this under the rug 
. As an American, I want to know what's going on with our government and how they're supposed to be working for us, not against us 
SO WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?! 
, DOGE was all about slashin' programs and personnel, but it seems like they were just cuttin' corners (literally) without thinkin' through the consequences 
. And now, we got a critical contract gone, and the Pentagon's networks are literally on the line 
.
.
! Let's get the real story out there and keep those in power on their toes 
the fact that they're cutting programs and staff to save money is just ridiculous 
what if this puts our national security at risk? 
like, disa's networks are literally critical to the armed forces' ability to function... can you even imagine if something goes wrong? 
we need to be calling out elon musk for this kinda nonsense ASAP 
. The fact that other news outlets are playing it so safe with their reporting makes me wonder if they're all in on some kind of conspiracy... 
. I mean, come on, downsize the Pentagon's IT office? That's like trying to cut off your nose to spite your face. It makes no sense and puts the entire Department of Defense at risk. And don't even get me started on the contract situation - it's like Musk is just playing a game of "connect four" with national security 
. I wish more news outlets would be reporting on this without sugarcoating things 
.
. like, they're not just cutting jobs, they're crippling the entire department's ability to communicate securely 
. so, like, become a member or whatever 
. I've been saying it for ages, when you start playing with fire in the world of tech and security, things can get out of control very quickly 
. The Intercept is doing some great work here, exposing the truth and all that jazz 
. Can we please get some real news coverage on this instead of just covering it up with flattery?