Federal agencies told to submit "reorganization plans," prepare for mass firings
CBS6 days ago
White House Expands DOGE Powers, Reveals New Acting Administrator
Above: Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk displays his t-shirt that reads "Tech Support" as he speaks during the first Cabinet meeting of the Pres. Donald Trump's second term on Feb. 26, 2025 in Washington, DC. Image copyright: Andrew Harnik/Staff/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
US Pres. Donald Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday giving the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) further cost-cutting powers, allowing it to review how federal agencies spend taxpayers money.
Titled "Implementing the President's 'Department of Governance Efficiency' Cost Efficiency Initiative," the order states that each federal agency must, in consultation with the DOGE, record most of its discretionary spending, conduct a comprehensive review, submit a written justification to them, and issue guidance on new contracts.
Signed after the first Cabinet meeting of the new Trump administration, this executive order comes as the White House identified Amy Gleason as the acting DOGE administrator, ending weeks of speculation over who was the formal leader of the cost-cutting initiative.
The Spin
Republican narrative
DOGE represents a necessary and courageous effort to confront an oversized bureaucracy that has operated without sufficient oversight for too long, bringing much-needed private sector efficiency standards to government operations and tackling waste that previous administrations have ignored.
Democratic narrative
The DOGE initiative, while claiming to target government waste, is actually undermining critical government services through arbitrary cuts and creating chaos in federal agencies, with its reported savings being riddled with accounting errors and misrepresentations.