Mass exodus from Trump’s Government Efficiency team as key DOGE staff depart

At least eight top officials from the Directorate for Government Efficiency (DOGE), a Trump-era initiative aimed at slashing bureaucracy and government spending, have exited their posts in recent weeks, according to internal records reviewed by POLITICO and multiple sources familiar with the matter.

The wave of resignations includes several of DOGE’s most influential figures. Among them are Steve Davis, who operationally led DOGE and played a central role in implementing its agenda, and his wife, Nicole Hollander, who spearheaded efforts to shrink the federal government’s physical and administrative footprint. Also gone is Brad Smith, who led the DOGE unit within the Department of Health and Human Services and oversaw sweeping cost-cutting measures across multiple health agencies.

Other notable departures include Chris Stanley, an aide to Elon Musk who coordinated the controversial installation of Starlink satellites atop the Eisenhower Executive Office Building; Katie Miller, the initiative’s communications director; Amanda Scales, former chief of staff at the Office of Personnel Management and a key figure in DOGE’s exemption review process for federal layoffs; James Burnham, the initiative’s chief legal counsel, who has resumed his private legal practice; and Tom Krause, fiscal assistant secretary of the Treasury.

A senior White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, downplayed the significance of the departures, noting that many DOGE staffers were classified as special government employees with term-limited assignments.

“It was never the plan for the highest levels of DOGE officials to make a career out of the government,” the official said.

In addition to the senior exits, at least seven engineers affiliated with DOGE—many with high-level access across multiple federal agencies—have also left their posts, with at least three more expected to follow suit in the coming weeks, according to internal agency documentation.

Despite the shake-up, the White House maintains that DOGE’s mission to streamline government operations and eliminate waste is advancing without disruption.

In late May, Elon Musk publicly announced his departure from government service, marking a significant shift in the leadership dynamic surrounding the Directorate for Government Efficiency (DOGE). His exit followed months of behind-the-scenes friction with senior White House officials, according to sources familiar with the matter.

By Vugar Khalilov