Impact of Doge on US Government and Global Aid by Late 2025
Doge promised to save $2 trillion in government waste, ensure maximum transparency, dismantle USAID, and embed staff across agencies while implementing mass layoffs. However, by late 2025, these promised savings were not realized. Lawsuits alleging privacy and transparency violations were filed, and the government attempted to block the disclosure of related documents.
Federal employment contracted by about 9% in under 10 months, equating to roughly 300,000 fewer civilian workers, though corresponding cost savings remain unclear. The cuts to USAID significantly disrupted global aid programs, reducing HIV testing and antiretroviral treatments in Mozambique and Johannesburg. Approximately 156,000 people in Latin America and the Caribbean lost access to HIV testing and treatment, with projections indicating a potential 14 million excess deaths if aid is not restored.
Doge's own tracker reported $214 billion in spending cuts and $61 billion in canceled contracts; however, it has not been updated since October, and critics question the reliability of these figures. Legal challenges continue, with the Supreme Court granting some Doge staff access to Social Security databases, while a federal judge ruled that mass layoffs of probationary employees were illegal.
Many Doge staff have left or moved to other roles, resulting in a reduced and opaque operation. This has raised ongoing questions about the agency's existence, structure, and future empowerment.
