GAO Declines DOGE’s Staff Embedding Proposal Amid Expanding Reach
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has turned down a request from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to embed its staff within the agency. This marks the latest instance of DOGE’s attempts to extend its influence beyond traditional executive branch departments and into independent entities.
DOGE, under the Trump administration, has been actively reaching out to numerous organizations to place its staff and conduct internal reviews. On May 13, a DOGE staff member sent an email seeking to assign a team to the GAO. The GAO responded, reiterating its status as a legislative branch agency, which is not subject to DOGE or Executive Orders.
A GAO spokesperson confirmed, “Today, we sent a letter to the Acting Administrator of DOGE stating that GAO is a legislative branch agency that conducts work for the Congress. As such, we are not subject to DOGE or Executive Orders.”
The refusal highlights DOGE’s ongoing efforts to engage with various organizations, including those outside of the federal government. NPR’s investigation has identified close to 40 such entities that have been approached by DOGE and the Trump administration recently.
Target Organizations and Staffers Involved
DOGE’s efforts have been led by a small group of young staffers with limited federal experience. Among them are Nate Cavanaugh and Justin Fox, who have played significant roles in reaching out to independent organizations. Cavanaugh, who is currently the president of the U.S. Institute of Peace, has also been involved in placing staff on administrative leave at the Interagency Council on Homelessness.
Fox, a college student and founder of a blockchain consulting firm, has been involved with meetings concerning various agencies, including the U.S. African Development Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities. These staffers have been actively engaging with entities like the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the private nonprofit Vera Institute of Justice, which have also resisted DOGE’s approaches.
Impact on Federal and Non-Governmental Entities
DOGE’s interactions have led to significant changes within some organizations. For instance, at the National Endowment for the Humanities, Cavanaugh and Fox informed grantees of terminated awards and demanded significant staff reductions. Similar actions have taken place at the Institute of Museum and Library Services, following Trump’s executive orders aimed at reducing the federal workforce.
Some of DOGE’s targets are not federal agencies per se but receive federal funding. For example, DOGE attempted to review the operations of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the Legal Services Corporation, both of which are federally funded but not government agencies by law. Cavanaugh’s outreach to the Vera Institute of Justice was termed “void” after learning about the termination of its federal grants by the Department of Justice.
Continued Efforts and Future Plans
DOGE’s activities are part of a broader strategy to cut government spending and implement Trump’s executive orders and budget proposals. Despite Elon Musk, who has been associated with DOGE, scaling back his involvement, the department’s work continues with the active participation of its staffers.
Inquiries into DOGE’s engagements with independent agencies and non-governmental organizations are ongoing. For those with information, NPR has provided contact details for encrypted communications with its reporters.
