Musk, White House Respond to Reports of 21 DOGE Employees Resigning

‘They would have been fired had they not resigned,’ Elon Musk said.

Elon Musk, who leads the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), speaks at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center at National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Md., on Feb. 20, 2025. Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

Trump adviser Elon Musk and the White House have criticized media reports about 21 civil service employees resigning from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) on Feb. 25.

DOGE, created by Trump by renaming the existing United States Digital Service (USDS), is tasked with rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse in federal operations. Reducing staff numbers and limiting hiring are also part of the targeted cost-cutting efforts.