Where are Elon Musk’s former DOGE staffers now?

The escalating wildfires across the United States are bringing to light the repercussions of significant budget cuts enacted early in President Donald Trump's second term. A key initiative contributing to these reductions was the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, a project championed by entrepreneur Elon Musk. MS NOW reports that the efficiency drives and staff reductions implemented under DOGE have demonstrably weakened the federal government's capacity to effectively combat the widespread blazes. DOGE was conceived with the explicit aim of injecting private-sector methodologies into government operations and achieving substantial reductions in federal spending. The project moved with considerable speed through the federal bureaucracy, characterized by the elimination of staff positions, the termination of existing contracts, and the dismantling of numerous government programs. Critics, however, argue that the scope of these cuts was excessively broad, leaving vital agencies less prepared and equipped to respond to critical emergencies.

Elon Musk, serving as an unpaid special government employee and a White House advisor, was widely recognized as the ideological architect behind DOGE. He actively promoted sweeping austerity measures across the federal bureaucracy. To achieve this, teams largely comprised of personnel from Musk's own companies were deployed to over twenty federal agencies. These teams were granted access to sensitive government systems, tasked with canceling contracts and grants, offering early retirement packages, and ultimately facilitating widespread layoffs. Musk initially projected that DOGE could uncover as much as $1 trillion in federal savings. However, the published financial totals attributed to DOGE's efforts faced persistent scrutiny and challenges due to a lack of verifiable evidence and reported accounting errors.

Musk ultimately departed his government advisory role in mid-2025, a departure that followed a public disagreement with President Trump. Despite leaving the administration, he has continued to maintain an active presence in the political sphere. Most recently, his political action committee, America PAC, has reportedly earmarked $100 million for efforts aimed at boosting Republican voter turnout in the upcoming midterm elections.

Edward Coristine, who gained notoriety online under the moniker "Big Balls," became one of the more visible symbols of DOGE's disruptive impact on government functions. A whistleblower later alleged that Coristine had plans to upload sensitive data belonging to the Social Security Administration to an unsecured server. Furthermore, he played a role in the dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), an organization dedicated to providing foreign aid and development assistance. Coristine's current professional activities place him at the National Design Studio, an office established with the objective of overhauling federal websites and other public-facing government services. The studio aims to enhance their usability, ensure visual consistency, and improve the overall user experience for citizens interacting with government platforms.