[3][4][5][6] President Donald Trump issued an executive order on January 20, 2025, renaming the United States Digital Service as the United States DOGE Service, with an emphasis on using digital technology to maximize Federal government efficiency and productivity, where DOGE stands for Department of Government Efficiency.
[7][8] The New York Times reported that the executive order establishing DOGE would rename the United States Digital Service to "United States DOGE Service" and would also create "DOGE teams" embedded within federal agencies consisting of at least four special government employees that would have "full and prompt access to all unclassified agency records, software systems and IT systems" to the "maximum extent consistent with law".
[38][needs update] Musk and DOGE have clashed with congressionally-established federal agencies over access to computer systems and data.
Reuters reported on January 31 that "aides to Elon Musk" had locked some career civil servants out of computer systems at the Office of Personnel Management, the federal government's human resources department that maintains details on 2.2 million workers.
[39] That same day, multiple sources reported that the Acting Secretary of the Treasury, David Lebryk, refused to grant DOGE access to a system that disburses $5.4 trillion in payments annually, including Social Security, government paychecks and contractor payments.
The newly confirmed Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, granted DOGE access to the system later that day, and Lebryk resigned.
[40][41][42] The New York Times described it as a possible attempt by Trump to "unilaterally restrict disbursement of money approved for specific purposes by Congress" following his earlier funding freeze.
[35] On February 1, members of DOGE gained access to classified information of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) without sufficient security clearances.
[44][45] Two security chiefs at USAID attempted to deny DOGE access to the classified material, as they claimed they were "legally obligated" to do; however, they were then placed on leave by the Trump administration.