What is DOGE Cut 9% of Federal Workers — Then a War Started and Nobody Could Find the People They Fired?
The Department of Government Efficiency -- DOGE, as in the meme coin -- set out to save $2 trillion by cutting federal waste. By the end of 2025, it had reduced the federal civilian workforce by 9%, according to the Office of Personnel Management. Elon Musk stepped back from his official role in May 2025 after roughly four months, but the cuts continued under acting administrator Amy Gleason.
Then the Iran war started. And the consequences of those cuts became impossible to ignore.
CNN reported that DOGE spending cuts had 'hampered the US government's abilities to prepare for domestic emergencies, monitor terror threats, guard against cyber-attacks, broadcast US information into Iran, and quickly help US citizens stranded abroad.' The timing was devastating: the largest military operation since Iraq was being coordinated by agencies that had just lost significant institutional knowledge and personnel.
DOGE's approach was controversial from the start. Four-member teams -- a team lead, an engineer, an HR specialist, and an attorney -- were embedded in federal agencies to identify cuts. Critics argued the teams lacked the domain expertise to distinguish essential from expendable personnel. The 9% workforce reduction included workers across emergency management, cybersecurity, and diplomatic services.
The initiative is scheduled to wrap up by July 4, 2026. But with a war ongoing and courts ordering tariff refunds, the political dynamics have shifted dramatically. What began as a populist efficiency crusade has become a case study in unintended consequences during a crisis.
Musk's departure left the program without its most prominent champion. The remaining question is whether the cuts get reversed, or whether DOGE's reductions become permanent features of a smaller federal government -- ready or not for the next emergency.
Origin
DOGE was established by executive order on January 20, 2025, the first day of Trump's second term. Elon Musk had proposed the idea in 2024, and it was named after the Dogecoin cryptocurrency (itself named after a Shiba Inu meme). Musk served as de facto head alongside Vivek Ramaswamy before Ramaswamy departed and Musk himself stepped back in May 2025 after about four months of formal involvement.
Timeline
Why Is This Trending Now?
DOGE returned to the spotlight in March 2026 because the Iran conflict exposed the real-world impact of federal workforce cuts. CNN's reporting on hampered emergency preparedness, combined with the $130 billion tariff refund liability, created a narrative of a government that simultaneously cut its capacity and increased its obligations. The irony of an efficiency program making the government less effective during a crisis has dominated political commentary.