Tallahassee residents should keep an eye on the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and its potential impact on federal operations, as its decisions could influence local policies and services.
Concerns have been raised about cybersecurity, digital privacy, and the role of billionaires in national security after reports suggested that Elon Musk’s business connections could access sensitive government information.
In January President Donald Trump established DOGE through an executive order, appointing Musk, the entrepreneur and owner of X (formerly Twitter), as its head. Despite its name, DOGE is not an official government agency.
The idea for DOGE emerged during Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign when Musk proposed creating a department to audit and improve government operations, aligning with Trump’s broader effort to reduce federal spending.
DOGE was given a broad mandate to restructure federal agencies by modernizing technology, reducing bureaucracy, and cutting costs.
“We have to solve the efficiency problem, we have to solve the fraud, waste, and abuse problem,” Trump said in an interview with Fox news anchor Bret Baier.
Musk has focused heavily on reducing federal expenditures, advocating for freezing certain payments and accusing civil servants of enabling fraudulent transactions.
On Feb. 7, attorney general’s from 19 Democratic-led states sued President Trump and the Treasury Department, attempting to block DOGE from accessing federal payment systems. A federal judge ruled in their favor, preventing the agency from gaining control.
The decisions made by DOGE could have significant effects on students and residents of Tallahassee. Many students at FAMU, Florida State University (FSU), and Tallahassee Community College (TCC) depend on federal aid such as Pell Grants, student loans, and tax refunds to cover tuition, housing, and daily expenses.
If DOGE had gained control of the Treasury’s payment systems, potential delays or reductions in financial aid could have disrupted students’ ability to afford school and manage their financial stability. Kevon Smith, a student at FAMU, says the news about the halting of funding left him fearful.
“The minute I seen that article about how they said they were going to freeze funding, it really scared me, that showed me the world is in an interesting spot right now,” Smith said. “Honestly if DOGE affects my financial aid and cuts my financial aid, although I do have outside scholarships, I simply couldn’t afford coming to school especially not out of state because I’m from Atlanta Georgia.”