The United States Department of Government Efficiency or DOGE under the direct leadership of billionaire Elon Musk and orders from Donald Trump has disrupted various federal agencies and offices in its supposed pursuit to make the federal government as efficient and productive as possible with less federal spending. However, as part of the emerging resistance against the Trump administration, several groups, organizations, and coalitions have taken action.
Countering DOGE and Elon Musk: Pushback From Groups, Organizations and Coalitions
1. Actions From State Attorneys General
A coalition of 14 Democratic-led states, headed by New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez, initially filed a lawsuit challenging the authority of Musk within the Department of Government Efficiency. The lawsuit specifically argued that his actions lacked constitutional oversight and could destabilize the operations of the federal government. Furthermore, despite a federal judge denying an emergency request to halt the cost-cutting measures of DOGE, the states continue to pursue legal avenues to restrain the influence of Musk. Some of these legal actions include preventing Musk and his team from accessing critical data and information.
Note that a State Attorney General is the chief legal officer of a state. It is responsible for enforcing state laws, providing legal advice to state agencies, spearheading legal investigations within its scope, and representing the state in legal matters. A State Attorney General also often sues the federal government over policies or actions they believe harm the interest of the state or violate constitutional principles. These lawsuits typically challenge federal regulations, executive orders, or laws passed by the U.S. Congress. This is possible because the federal government and state governments operate under a system of dual sovereignty.
2. Role of Judicial Interventions
The judiciary branch of the U.S. government is empowered by the U.S. Constitution and the landmark Marbury v. Madison Supreme Court ruling in 1803 to intervene against executive and legislative actions through judicial reviews. This authority is based on the constitutional principle of separation of powers that not only ensures that the legislative, executive, and judicial branches operate independently but also provides or performs a system of checks and balances to prevent any one branch from exercising unchecked power. States can also sue the federal government in court to uphold further the system of checks and balances.
Nevertheless, with regard to countermeasures against the Trump administration, including against the actions of the Department of Government Efficiency, the courts have become an avenue not only for state governments but also for other groups. For example, on 22 February 2025, U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas extended a block preventing Musk and his team from accessing systems in the Treasury Department that manage government payments. This decision came after 19 state attorneys general argued that such access could lead to improper disclosure of sensitive information and that DOGE lacked legal authority for such actions.
3. Current and Former Federal Workers
A group of about a dozen current and former federal employees has launched a new website to anonymously share stories and technical expertise or insights on the efforts made by DOGE to dismantle government agencies. The website is called “We The Builders” and it aims to be a secure avenue for government workers to share how the actions of DOGE are impacting their workplaces. It also aims to be a channel for explaining the actual impact of the excessive intrusion into critical government systems and relevant data and information. The group has also put up several accounts on social media platforms like Bluesky, Instagram, and Twitter.
The website also has blog entries explaining the role of the U.S. Digital Service or USDS and its difference from DOGE. It stated that it was responsible for developing and implementing the digital infrastructures of the U.S. government and promoting digital government. Another blog entry explained that the recent mandate of Musk compelling federal workers to explain via email what they were able to accomplish from the week before 22 February 2025 would result in USD 18 million in waste due to the sheer number of email messages DOGE has to review. Note that there are over 2 million individuals employed by the federal government.
4. Actions and Commentaries from Intellectuals
Several scientific organizations have expressed opposition to DOGE and Musk due to concerns over their impact on scientific undertakings. The Royal Society, one of the oldest and most esteemed scientific institutions in the world, is debating the potential expulsion of Musk from its fellowship. This was triggered after over 2300 scientists signed an open letter urging it to take action. Musk has been accused of launching public attacks on scientists and instigating significant cuts to research funding. The Trump administration has been hostile toward science and has withdrawn from the World Health Organization and Paris Agreement.
Prominent figures in the global scientific community like British psychologist Dorothy Bishop and English statistician and epidemiologist Richard Peto have signed an open letter criticizing the actions and behavior of Musk. The letter accuses him of promoting unfounded conspiracy theories and undermining scientific integrity. Fellows like biologist Andrew Millar resigned from the Royal Society as a form of protest. Other intellectuals like Harvard constitutional law professor Laurence Tribe and Stanford fellow and former intelligence director Thomas Fingar criticized DOGE for endangering privacy rights and national security.
5. Other Nonprofit Advocacy Organizations
Public Citizen, a consumer advocacy organization, along with other nonprofit organizations, filed a lawsuit against the Treasury Department. The suit alleges unlawful disclosure of personal and financial information to Elon Musk and DOGE and specific violation of the Privacy Act of 1974 and the Internal Revenue Code. It has also launched a resistance playbook against the Trump administration. Democracy Forward, a nonprofit legal services organization, has filed suits opposing several executive orders associated with DOGE. These include the takedown of the U.S. Agency for International Development and federal fund freezing.
The American Federation of Teachers, along with other labor groups, filed a lawsuit against multiple Trump administration agencies. The suit seeks to prevent DOGE from accessing sensitive federal data. The American Federation of Government Employees has been vocal in its opposition to the directives from Trump and Musk coursed via DOGE. The political action organization 50501 Movement has also orchestrated nationwide demonstrations against the policies of the Trump administration and the actions of DOGE. Their protests, held across all 50 states, aim to uphold constitutional values and end perceived executive overreach.
FURTHER READINGS AND REFERENCES
- Democracy Forward. 2025. “About.” Democracy Forward. Available online
- Else, H. 2025. “Royal Society Will Meet Amid Campaign to Revoke Elon Musk’s Fellowship. In Nature. Springer Science and Business Media LLC. DOI: 1038/d41586-025-00486-5
- Fingar, T. 14 February 2025. “How Trump, Musk, and DOGE are undermining US Intelligence and National Security.” Bulletin of Atomic Scientists. Available online
- Lee, M. 14 February 2025. “More Than a Dozen State Attorneys General Challenge Musk and DOGE’s Authority. Associated Press. Available online
- Public Citizen. 2025. “Taking on Trump.” Public Citizen. Available online
- United States Court. n.d. “About The Supreme Court.” United States Courts. Available online
- We The Builders. 2025. We The Builders. Available online