New Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Cuts $1 Billion in DEIA Contracts Within First 10 Days

Elon Musk arrives to speak at an indoor Presidential Inauguration parade event in Washington, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

The newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has made significant strides in its mission to reduce federal spending, terminating 85 Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA)-related contracts worth approximately $1 billion across 24 federal agencies in just its first 10 days of operation. 

The move, announced in a post on X, is part of President Trump’s Executive Order on Government Efficiency, signed on Inauguration Day, which created DOGE to streamline federal operations and eliminate wasteful spending. The order targets bureaucratic redundancies, outdated technology, and costly diversity initiatives, aiming to refocus agencies on performance and efficiency.

Among the agencies affected are the Department of Education, Department of Labor, Treasury, Defense, USDA, Homeland Security, and the Environmental Protection Agency. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) saw the largest cut, with nearly $500 million in terminated contracts, followed by the Department of Agriculture, which canceled over $110 million in spending. Other notable reductions include:

- Department of Homeland Security – $14.9 million  

- Department of Health and Human Services – $28.1 million  

- Department of Labor – $7.8 million  

- Department of Treasury – $25.2 million  

- Environmental Protection Agency – $3 million  

- Department of Education – $3.8 million  

- Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) – $45 million  

DOGE, which absorbed the former U.S. Digital Service, is tasked with identifying and eliminating inefficient programs, ensuring taxpayer dollars are used effectively. A specially appointed task force, the U.S. DOGE Service Temporary Organization, will oversee further cuts and reforms over the next 18 months, with the goal of modernizing federal technology and improving productivity.

President Trump appointed Elon Musk as DOGE’s administrator, signaling a focus on innovation and efficiency. The department’s name, DOGE, is a playful nod to the popular cryptocurrency Dogecoin, which originated from the “Doge” internet meme featuring a Shiba Inu dog.

In a related development, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced it has placed 60 employees whose roles were exclusively focused on DEI initiatives on administrative leave. VA spokesperson Morgan Ackley stated the department is now “laser-focused on providing the best possible care and benefits to Veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors.” Ackley emphasized the VA’s shift away from what it called “divisive DEI policies” to refocus on its core mission.

This sweeping overhaul marks a significant step in the administration’s efforts to prioritize efficiency and accountability in federal spending, with DOGE leading the charge in cutting unnecessary programs and redirecting resources to essential services.