EO 14158: Establishing and Implementing the President's “Department of Government Efficiency”
ANALYSIS: This order establishes the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) with the aim of modernizing federal technology and software to enhance governmental efficiency and productivity.
Project 2025 seeks to reshape the federal government by consolidating executive power and implementing policies that reflect conservative values.
The correlation between Executive Order 14158 and Project 2025 is evident in their shared objectives of reducing government inefficiencies and restructuring federal operations under the executive branch. Both advocate for a streamlined bureaucracy, with Project 2025 proposing significant reductions in the federal workforce and the elimination of certain departments to achieve these goals.
Examples of direct negative impacts:
Public Safety Risks: The mass layoffs at agencies like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) could impair critical functions such as weather forecasting and climate monitoring, jeopardizing public safety and hindering disaster preparedness.
Environmental Management Challenges: Reductions in federal workforce and resources may delay essential environmental management activities, such as forest maintenance, increasing the risk of natural disasters like wildfires.
Economic Uncertainty: Delays in significant projects, such as Intel's $28 billion semiconductor facility in Ohio, highlight the economic repercussions of reduced government support and investment, potentially affecting job creation and technological advancement.
CONCLUSION: Executive Order 14158 and Project 2025 aim to enhance governmental efficiency, the associated workforce reductions and restructuring pose risks to public safety, environmental management, and economic stability. Referenced in Chapter 2: Executive Office of the President (Russell Vought) as a concept to centralize and “limit, control and direct” the executive bureaucracy. (Project 2025 envisions a new White House unit to drive government-wide cost-cutting and efficiency, which this EO creates.)
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:
Section 1 . Purpose. This Executive Order establishes the Department of Government Efficiency to implement the President's DOGE Agenda, by modernizing Federal technology and software to maximize governmental efficiency and productivity.
Sec. 2 . Definitions. As used in this order:
(a) “Agency” has the meaning given to it in section 551 of title 5, United States Code, except that such term does not include the Executive Office of the President or any components thereof.
(b) “Agency Head” means the highest-ranking official of an agency, such as the Secretary, Administrator, Chairman, or Director, unless otherwise specified in this order.
Sec. 3 . DOGE Structure. (a) Reorganization and Renaming of the United States Digital Service. The United States Digital Service is hereby publicly renamed as the United States DOGE Service (USDS) and shall be established in the Executive Office of the President.
(b) Establishment of a Temporary Organization. There shall be a USDS Administrator established in the Executive Office of the President who shall report to the White House Chief of Staff. There is further established within USDS, in accordance with section 3161 of title 5, United States Code, a temporary organization known as “the U.S. DOGE Service Temporary Organization”. The U.S. DOGE Service Temporary Organization shall be headed by the USDS Administrator and shall be dedicated to advancing the President's 18-month DOGE agenda. The U.S. DOGE Service Temporary Organization shall terminate on July 4, 2026. The termination of the U.S. DOGE Service Temporary Organization shall not be interpreted to imply the termination, attenuation, or amendment of any other authority or provision of this order.
(c) DOGE Teams. In consultation with USDS, each Agency Head shall establish within their respective Agencies a DOGE Team of at least four employees, which may include Special Government Employees, hired or assigned within thirty days of the date of this Order. Agency Heads shall select the DOGE Team members in consultation with the USDS Administrator. Each DOGE Team will typically include one DOGE Team Lead, one engineer, one human resources specialist, and one attorney. Agency Heads shall ensure that DOGE Team Leads coordinate their work with USDS and advise their respective Agency Heads on implementing the President's DOGE Agenda.
Sec. 4 . Modernizing Federal Technology and Software to Maximize Efficiency and Productivity. (a) The USDS Administrator shall commence a Software Modernization Initiative to improve the quality and efficiency of government-wide software, network infrastructure, and information technology (IT) systems. Among other things, the USDS Administrator shall work with Agency Heads to promote inter-operability between agency networks and systems, ensure data integrity, and facilitate responsible data collection and synchronization.
(b) Agency Heads shall take all necessary steps, in coordination with the USDS Administrator and to the maximum extent consistent with law, to ensure USDS has full and prompt access to all unclassified agency records, software systems, and IT systems. USDS shall adhere to rigorous data protection standards.
(c) This Executive Order displaces all prior executive orders and regulations, insofar as they are subject to direct presidential amendment, that might serve as a barrier to providing USDS access to agency records and systems as described above.
Sec. 5 . General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
