The abrupt and chaotic demise of the Department of Economic Development and Growth Initiative (DOGE), an agency hastily created by Elon Musk's administration to slash government spending, has left a trail of destruction in its wake. In just eight short months, DOGE's existence was reduced to nothing more than a mere memory.
Musk's tenure at the helm was marked by unrelenting chaos and controversy. His combative approach alienated even some of his own allies within the administration, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. A physical altercation with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent only added fuel to the fire, further eroding trust among lawmakers and bureaucrats.
By late May, DOGE had become a pariah in Washington, with President Trump's administration pushing back against Musk's policies. When Musk was formally given his exit, it also marked the ouster of his right-hand man, Steve Davis, who refused to leave despite orders from the White House. The power vacuum that ensued only served to further destabilize the agency.
The fallout has been brutal. DOGE staff members were left reeling as their department was reshuffled and restructured, with many loyalists accused of staging a coup against Davis' leadership. Eventually, the White House intervened, rooting out Davis' supporters and putting an end to his brief attempt to consolidate control.
In the end, it came down to a simple statement from the White House: "That doesn't exist." DOGE's charter was set to expire in just eight months, but its demise has left behind a legacy of confusion, resentment, and broken promises. As one former employee noted, Musk's departure has created a vacuum that will be difficult to fill.
The episode serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of unbridled ambition and the importance of effective leadership. In the words of one observer, "Musk rode into Washington with big ambitions of slashing government spending by trillions of dollars. Instead, during his brief time in DC, government spending actually increased, and he left behind many burned bridges." The result is a trail of destruction that will be felt for years to come.
Musk's tenure at the helm was marked by unrelenting chaos and controversy. His combative approach alienated even some of his own allies within the administration, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. A physical altercation with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent only added fuel to the fire, further eroding trust among lawmakers and bureaucrats.
By late May, DOGE had become a pariah in Washington, with President Trump's administration pushing back against Musk's policies. When Musk was formally given his exit, it also marked the ouster of his right-hand man, Steve Davis, who refused to leave despite orders from the White House. The power vacuum that ensued only served to further destabilize the agency.
The fallout has been brutal. DOGE staff members were left reeling as their department was reshuffled and restructured, with many loyalists accused of staging a coup against Davis' leadership. Eventually, the White House intervened, rooting out Davis' supporters and putting an end to his brief attempt to consolidate control.
In the end, it came down to a simple statement from the White House: "That doesn't exist." DOGE's charter was set to expire in just eight months, but its demise has left behind a legacy of confusion, resentment, and broken promises. As one former employee noted, Musk's departure has created a vacuum that will be difficult to fill.
The episode serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of unbridled ambition and the importance of effective leadership. In the words of one observer, "Musk rode into Washington with big ambitions of slashing government spending by trillions of dollars. Instead, during his brief time in DC, government spending actually increased, and he left behind many burned bridges." The result is a trail of destruction that will be felt for years to come.
, this whole thing with DOGE? It's a classic case of "what they don't want you to know". I mean, think about it... Elon Musk comes in with a plan to slash government spending, and suddenly the agency is shut down? What's really going on here? Is it just a coincidence that Musk's people are getting fired left and right? 
It seems suspiciously fishy to me. And what's with all these "accidents" happening around DOGE? Like, who needs an exit strategy that involves physical altercations and power struggles? That doesn't add up 
. I'm starting to think Musk was playing a much bigger game than we're being told...
. I mean, it's not like they didn't see it coming, but still... 8 months in and already getting shut down. Who knew Musk's whole "slash spending" thing would backfire so hard? 
It's like, yeah, he may have been trying to be a hero or whatever, but you can't just waltz into an office and expect everyone to bow down without some major pushback. And now look what's left - a trail of chaos and destruction. The whole thing is just so... messy 
.
u know what really gets me? Elon Musk thinkin he can just swoop in with some crazy plan & expect everyone else 2 fall in line. Newsflash, Elon: gov't isn't a startup where u can just pivot whenever u feel like it 
. The people who work there r real human beings w/ families & lives outside those walls. They deserve better than 2 be pawns in ur game of " slash gov spend". And that's what happened here...DOGE's demise is a reminder that some folks r just too power-hungry 4 good 
this is so crazy what happened to DOGE it's like they were just forgotten overnight and people are still trying to figure out what went down 
i feel bad for the staff who got left in the dark, all those promises of cutting spending and reforming the government only led to more chaos and drama 
how could someone be so reckless with power? 
it's like they said "it doesn't exist" but the damage is still there, and it's gonna take a long time to clean up 
Who needs that kinda stress in their life? 
The damage is done tho, DOGEs demise is gonna be felt 4 years 
The way he just steamrolled over people and expected them to follow him is wild. And the White House was like "uh no" when he tried to make some major changes. I get it, his ideas might not have been bad per se, but the execution was super off. It's like, if you're gonna shake things up, do it in a way that doesn't alienate everyone... 
! One minute DOGE is all the rage, slashing budgets left and right, and the next it's just... poof 
. And poor Steve Davis, stuck in limbo 
. I'm still trying to wrap my head around it all. It's like we're living in some kind of government experiment gone wrong 
. Bring back the good old days of stability and sanity, please? 
And then you have this whole drama about Musk and his people taking over, and it just gets crazy. I'm not surprised that they left a trail of destruction behind them 
The power vacuum created after his exit will be tough to fill 
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. I'm no fan of the guy, but come on, a physical altercation with the Treasury Secretary? That's just ridiculous 
.
. We're still dealing with the fallout from DOGE's existence, and it's like, "What did we even accomplish?" 