Trump’s Order Puts Musk at Helm of Federal Workforce Overhaul

President Donald Trump signed a new executive order Tuesday on implementing the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) workforce optimization initiative that outlined major federal workforce reforms.

The directive aims to “significantly reduce the size of government” and requires federal agencies to work with DOGE head Elon Musk to make “large-scale” workforce reductions. The order mandates a “DOGE team lead” to supervise hiring decisions at each federal agency.

“To restore accountability to the American public, this order commences a critical transformation of the federal bureaucracy. By eliminating waste, bloat and insularity, my administration will empower American families, workers, taxpayers and our system of government itself,” the order states.

The initiative also mandates that agencies hire one new employee for every four that leave, with exceptions for critical areas such as public safety, immigration enforcement and law enforcement. The move is a pivot from prior administrations, including the first Trump term, which have focused on skills-based hiring in a challenging recruiting environment in competition with the private sector.

“It’s not optional for us to reduce the federal expenses — it’s essential. It’s essential for America to remain solvent as a country, and it’s essential for America to have the resources necessary to provide things to its citizens and not simply be servicing vast amounts of debt,” Musk said during the signing of the order.

The Inception of DOGE

The White House created the Musk-led DOGE Jan. 20 to modernize “federal technology and software to maximize governmental efficiency and productivity,” according to the executive order that launched its formation.

The initiative replaced the U.S. Digital Service as a modernization team that works with agencies to enhance digital service and mission delivery. While DOGE leaders have discussed technology initiatives like AI and other emerging technology, much of the conversation has been around workforce cuts.

In an interview with GovCIO Media & Research, Partnership for Public Service (PPS) Vice President for Government Affairs Jenny Mattingley, and also former executive director of the White House Performance Improvement Council, said that DOGE could make headway on modernization if its leaders take the correct approach.

“They all share some interest in ‘rightsizing’ the federal workforce. In this one, certainly, we’ve got people coming from a tech perspective,” Mattingley said. “Coming in with this tech focus, there’s a lot of modernization that could happen.”