Pentagon tech team resigns en masse amid DOGE restructuring

Nearly the entire staff of the Pentagon’s fast-moving tech unit, the Defense Digital Service (DDS), is resigning en masse by the end of April, effectively shutting down the decade-old division, according to its director and three current members.

The wave of resignations comes amid growing frustration over being marginalised by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a controversial restructuring initiative led by billionaire Elon Musk, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

The DDS — often dubbed the Pentagon’s “SWAT team of nerds” — was formed in 2015 to bring Silicon Valley-style innovation into the heart of the U.S. defence establishment.

“Either we die quickly or we die slowly,” said Jennifer Hay, the current director of DDS, who confirmed she will step down by 1 May. Of the 14-person team, 11 are expected to accept a deferred resignation package offered under former President Donald Trump. The remaining two employees are also set to depart, effectively ending the DDS programme.

Initially launched to implement rapid tech solutions during crises, DDS played a crucial role in developing tools during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, streamlining military aid to Ukraine, and deploying drone detection systems. Its closure may stall efforts to counter unmanned aerial threats and disrupt initiatives to reform the Department of Defense’s technology workforce pipeline.

Hay said she and her team had anticipated being tapped to support DOGE’s push for automation and artificial intelligence within the Pentagon. “The reason we stuck it out as long as we have is that we thought we were going to be called in,” she said. “Instead,” she added, “we were sidelined.”

A spokesperson for the Pentagon declined to comment on the resignations but confirmed that DDS’s responsibilities would be absorbed into the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office (CDAO), under which the DDS formally resides.

DOGE, established under Musk’s leadership, has already absorbed or dismantled other high-profile tech initiatives within the federal government. The U.S. Digital Service, created to attract Silicon Valley talent to Washington, has seen major layoffs, while 18F — a digital consultancy housed within the General Services Administration — was dissolved altogether.

Despite having faced recent internal challenges, including hiring freezes, travel restrictions, and accusations of unauthorised software waivers in a 2024 watchdog report, DDS staff said the final decision to quit was driven by DOGE’s approach.

“They’re not really using AI, they’re not really driving efficiency. What they’re doing is smashing everything,” said one former senior Pentagon official, speaking anonymously to avoid possible reprisals.

The departure of DDS marks a significant retreat from earlier efforts to modernise the Department of Defense’s digital infrastructure with Silicon Valley expertise.

By Aghakazim Guliyev