Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (D.O.G.E) has followed through on its January promise to dig through the US Department of Education, reportedly ejecting top officials from their offices.
Even President Donald Trump’s own appointed officials were pushed out. Acting Education Secretary Denise Carter lost access to her office and was forced to sit outside in a waiting area, according to a CNBC report. Acting Under Secretary James Bergeron didn’t even bother moving in—his office was already occupied by D.O.G.E staffers.
White noise machines were installed to block conversations, desks were moved, and key leadership spaces were seized without warning.
D.O.G.E digs in, Trump backs the purge
D.O.G.E teams wasted no time securing their positions. After occupying the seventh floor, operatives reportedly went floor to floor collecting office furniture and equipment to build their own workspaces. One Education Department employee reportedly called it a “compound.”
Asked about the situation, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Communications Madi Biedermann downplayed concerns. “The D.O.G.E employees are federal employees. They have been sworn in, have the necessary background checks and clearances, and are focused on making the Department more cost-efficient, effective, and accountable to the taxpayers,” Biedermann allegedly told CNBC.
Trump has been clear from the get go: the Department of Education is a target. While congressional approval is required to formally dismantle the agency, Elon’s D.O.G.E team is executing a workaround—starving it from the inside.
Education officials describe a tense atmosphere, with career employees and Republican political appointees alike struggling to maintain control. “They’re working in collaboration with department staff. There is nothing inappropriate or nefarious going on,” Biedermann insisted. But CNBC’s report says otherwise.
D.O.G.E races to cut billions before time runs out
D.O.G.E is racing against the clock to slash as much funding as possible before their contracts expire. On Monday, D.O.G.E’s social media account announced $881 million in Education Department contracts had been canceled.
D.O.G.E operatives are reportedly competing with one another, each trying to make the biggest budget cuts. Most of these guys are classified as “special government employees,” a status that limits their federal employment to 130 days per year. This means they have about four months to carve through the department’s finances before time runs out.
Once they leave, the remaining Education Department staff will be left to deal with the fallout. “They didn’t make conversation,” said one official, reportedly describing the team as “secretive.” Employees say they feel the need to physically stay out of D.O.G.E’s way, calling the overall environment “intimidating.”
Trump’s administration has pushed a massive voluntary resignation program across federal agencies. So far, 75,000 government employees have signed up for the initiative called Fork in the Road. Under the program, employees resign in February but continue receiving paychecks through September.
The White House had aimed for 5-10% of the federal workforce to take the offer. Instead, participation has fallen short, increasing the likelihood of mass firings. On Tuesday, Elon stood beside Trump as he signed an executive order directing agency heads to move forward with layoffs, though Trump did say that public safety, immigration enforcement, and law enforcement will be spared.
New Secretary of Education prepares for confirmation
Linda McMahon is set to face the Senate on Thursday for her confirmation hearing as Trump’s pick for education secretary—while Trump himself openly talks about shutting down the department she’s about to run.
McMahon is best known for running World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), the company her husband, Vince McMahon, built and still controls. She also led the Small Business Administration during Trump’s first term before jumping into pro-Trump political groups. Now, she’s back in the mix, this time as the face of an agency that Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (D.O.G.E.) is already gutting.
D.O.G.E. has been tearing through the Education Department’s budget, slashing $881 million in contracts, though the administration hasn’t released any details on what exactly got cut. Musk’s team has also gained access to Education Department systems and email accounts, something longtime employees call highly unusual.
At the Senate hearing, Democrats on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee plan to focus on McMahon’s education policies, not her WWE past. Sen. Bernie Sanders said he’ll press her on where she stands on privatizing public schools, teacher pay raises, and budget cuts for low-income school districts.
McMahon spent the last four years as chair of the America First Policy Institute, a pro-Trump think tank that pushes for more private school funding, weaker teachers’ unions, and a bigger focus on skills-based career training. Several of Trump’s early Education Department appointees came from the same group.
It’s unclear if McMahon supports abolishing the Education Department, but Trump isn’t hiding his plans. “It’s a complete con job,” he told reporters Wednesday. Earlier this month, he even said he hopes McMahon will “put herself out of a job.” NBC News reported that Trump is drafting an executive order to shut down the department—though Congress would have to approve it.
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