Inside Elon Musk’s DOGE team: The key players reshaping Washington

Elon Musk

Billionaire Elon Musk has defended his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) as it moves rapidly through Washington, identifying spending cuts and restructuring federal agencies. However, little has been publicly disclosed about the team members behind DOGE or their roles within the administration, according to The Washington Post.

A secretive yet influential team

DOGE has embedded itself across various federal agencies with the goal of reducing government inefficiencies. Despite Musk’s claim that DOGE is transparent, neither he nor the White House have provided detailed information about its structure, operations, or personnel.

The White House has declined to release an official list of DOGE staff, citing the Presidential Records Act, which protects certain records from disclosure until years after a president leaves office. This has fuelled concerns about accountability, especially as DOGE exerts growing influence over federal hiring, agency budgets, and operational decision-making, The Washington Post reports.

Key figures in the DOGE network

Through agency records and interviews with federal employees, The Washington Post has identified several DOGE operatives and Musk allies now holding key positions in Washington:

Office of Personnel Management (OPM): Amanda Scales (former xAI recruiter), Brian Bjelde (SpaceX HR executive), and Christina Hanna (senior HR manager at SpaceX) are now overseeing federal workforce restructuring.

General Services Administration (GSA): Stephen Ehikian (former Silicon Valley executive) and Thomas Shedd (Tesla alumnus) are working to modernize federal technology and streamline government real estate.

Treasury Department: Tom Krause (Cloud Software Group CEO) now leads the Bureau of the Fiscal Service, replacing a veteran civil servant amid disputes over access to sensitive payment systems.

US DOGE Service: Steve Davis (Boring Co. president) and Brad Smith (former Medicare official) are directing cost-cutting efforts across multiple agencies.

These individuals, alongside dozens of others with backgrounds in technology, venture capital, law, and finance, are actively reshaping how the federal government operates.

Concerns over transparency and conflicts of interest

DOGE’s rapid changes have drawn criticism from lawmakers and federal employees, who question the legality of its actions and the lack of public oversight. Some Democratic lawmakers have raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest, particularly as Musk’s companies—such as SpaceX and Starlink—hold multi-billion-dollar contracts with the federal government.

There have also been reports of erroneous terminations, mismanagement of hiring freezes, and disputes over access to classified systems. With DOGE’s growing authority, questions remain about the long-term consequences of its cost-cutting measures, The Washington Post notes.

The road ahead

As DOGE continues to exert influence over Washington, pressure is mounting for greater transparency and accountability. While the White House insists that the program aligns with its mission to improve government efficiency, legal challenges and political opposition could shape its future.

With both praise and criticism intensifying, the coming months will determine whether DOGE’s reforms streamline government operations or lead to unintended disruptions, The Washington Post concludes.