Twenty-one career employees resigned from the Department of Government Efficiency, stating that they will not lend their expertise to carry out or legitimize DOGE's actions, according to a letter sent to White House chief of staff Susie Wiles on Tuesday.
Concerns Over Compromising Government Systems
The civil service employees, housed within the United States Digital Service — renamed the United States DOGE Service under Elon Musk's leadership — expressed in the letter obtained by POLITICO that they swore to serve the American people and uphold their oath to the Constitution across presidential administrations. However, they emphasized that they can no longer honor those commitments at the United States DOGE Service.
Commitment to Public Service
They stated, "We will not use our skills as technologists to compromise core government systems, jeopardize Americans' sensitive data, or dismantle critical public services." The White House did not respond to a request for comment on the letter.
Shift in Focus Under Musk's Leadership
USDS, established in 2014 under the Obama administration to streamline digital services on federal websites, has transitioned its work under Musk's leadership to focus on cost-cutting and investigations into the efficiency of government agencies and their employees.
Reasons for Resignation
The resignation letter highlighted various incidents leading to their decision, including the termination of approximately one-third of DOGE's workforce on Feb. 14. Many of those let go worked in areas such as Social Security, veterans' services, tax filing, and health care, posing a threat to millions of Americans who rely on these services daily.
Former employees also pointed out interviews where questions about political loyalty were raised, and attempts were made to create discord among colleagues.
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