Elon Musk is stepping back from Doge. Can Trump's government efficiency drive survive without him?

Since its creation via executive order on January 20, Doge has eliminated over 216,000 federal jobs, dismantled the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and USAID and faced multiple lawsuits over transparency and legal overreach. As Elon Musk prepares to scale back his role, more than 100 Doge staffers remain embedded across agencies with operations set to continue until July 4, 2026. But can the department function without Musk?

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