As President Donald Trump embarks on his second term, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by tech entrepreneurs Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, is facing significant legal challenges. Two lawsuits filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia allege that DOGE is violating the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), which requires federal advisory committees to operate with transparency, balance, and public accessibility.
The first lawsuit, initiated by National Security Counselors, contends that DOGE is functioning as a federal advisory body without adhering to FACA’s stipulations. The second, brought by a coalition of professional groups, seeks an immediate suspension of DOGE’s activities until it complies with federal law. Critics argue that DOGE’s composition—which reportedly includes tech executives, Trump affiliates, and associates of Musk and Ramaswamy—lacks representation from federal employees. Additionally, concerns have been raised about closed-door meetings, potentially breaching FACA’s public transparency requirements.
These legal actions complicate DOGE’s ambitious objective of reducing $500 billion in annual federal expenditures. Legal analysts suggest that non-compliance with FACA could undermine the initiative’s credibility and effectiveness. As the situation unfolds, neither Musk nor Trump has commented on the lawsuits. Meanwhile, Ramaswamy is expected to depart from DOGE to pursue a gubernatorial campaign in Ohio later this month.