US federal employees sue Elon Musk's DOGE after Donald Trump's inauguration

US federal employees, backed by watchdog groups, have filed a lawsuit against President Trump's cost-cutting DOGE plan led by Elon Musk, alleging violations of advisory committee rules

The American Federation of Government Employees, the largest union representing federal employees, joined forces with non-profit watchdog group Public Citizen to file a lawsuit against President Donald Trump on Monday. The legal action was initiated shortly after Trump was sworn in as the 47th President of the United States, targeting his plan to create a cost-cutting ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ (DOGE).

Musk tasked with cutting federal spending

Trump has appointed billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk to lead DOGE, charging him with reducing federal government spending by billions of dollars. Both Trump and Musk claim that up to $2 trillion could be saved through the initiative. However, many experts have expressed skepticism, arguing that achieving such savings without slashing critical social services and benefits is highly unrealistic.

 

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), representing approximately 800,000 federal employees, filed the lawsuit to ensure that DOGE adheres to federal advisory committee regulations. According to the complaint, the mandate assigned to DOGE is “sweeping and consequential”, with potential recommendations for cuts to government agencies and programmes that safeguard health, benefits, consumer finance, and product safety. 

 

The union argued that DOGE, as currently composed, fails to represent the interests of ordinary Americans. It cited federal regulations allowing administrations to form commissions or task forces to seek private-sector advice on various issues but emphasised that these bodies must adhere to strict rules to prevent conflicts of interest.

 

These rules require advisory committees to maintain a balanced representation of viewpoints, conduct meetings openly, and ensure public access to their records and work products. The AFGE requested the court to block DOGE from functioning as an advisory committee until it complies with these regulations.

 

In addition to the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), several other watchdog and advocacy groups also filed lawsuits on Monday challenging the creation of DOGE. While Trump appointed billionaire entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy to co-lead DOGE alongside Musk, Ramaswamy reportedly opted to withdraw from the role to pursue a gubernatorial campaign in Ohio.

Vivek Ramaswamy quit DOGE

Indian-origin entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy will no longer serve in the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a role he was appointed to by Donald Trump alongside billionaire Elon Musk, according to a statement from the White House.

 

Ramaswamy, 39, who previously ran unsuccessfully in the Republican presidential race, has indicated plans to pursue the governorship of Ohio.  

 

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Ramaswamy said, “It was my honour to help support the creation of DOGE. I’m confident that Elon & team will succeed in streamlining government. I’ll have more to say very soon about my future plans in Ohio. Most importantly, we're all-in to help President Trump make America great again.”

 

Initially appointed by Trump in November last year, Ramaswamy, now a trusted ally of the former president and Vice President JD Vance, was chosen to co-lead DOGE alongside Musk.  

 

[With agency inputs]