DOGE after Musk: More mess

Politico chronicles Elon Musk’s abrupt exit from the Trump administration and DOGE’s subsequent splintering into rival factions, ending the chaotic drive for “efficiency” and ushering in a quieter, more methodical consolidation of power under OMB Director Russell Vought.

The article traces DOGE’s fall from peak newness, with ten-room suites in the Executive Office Building, black SUVs, sloppy “Command‑F” contract cuts, and mass deferred resignation offers and terminations. After Musk started feuding with Trump and retreated to his companies, operational lead Steve Davis tried to keep running DOGE, even after losing White House backing and his federal employment. Internal pushback, Signal chat purges, and a wave of departures followed.

The White House then installed Michael Rigas at GSA in an effort to redirect reform energy through more traditional institutional channels, placing OMB Director Vought firmly in charge of shrinking the federal workforce. (Rigas has since been replaced by Edward C. Frost.)

• What changed immediately: Musk’s split with Trump triggered an exodus from GSA’s “6th‑floor” hub and a rooftop “wake.” DOGE lost its protective cover and political clout almost overnight.
• The succession struggle: Steve Davis asserted de facto control even after losing federal employment; he removed skeptics from Signal groups, while White House personnel operations instructed agencies to stop engaging with him.
• GSA at the center: Installation of Mike Rigas at GSA blunted DOGE’s institutional leverage, shifting tech and acquisition initiatives to established leadership and processes.
• What endures: Selected initiatives continue under new banners: AI procurement push at FAS, nuclear expansion at DOE, and federal retirement digitization elevated via the National Design Studio led by Joe Gebbia.