A new federal department, barely a month old, is making waves in Washington. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by tech billionaire Elon Musk, was created by President Donald Trump in January. Its mission: to slash federal spending.
DOGE claims to have already saved over $1 billion by canceling diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) contracts, among other expenses. The department has an ambitious goal of cutting $2 trillion from the annual budget, according to its social media posts.
A Controversial Start
DOGE has quickly become a hot topic. The department gained access to the Treasury Department's payment system, which stores sensitive data for most Americans. This move sparked legal challenges and strong opposition from Democratic lawmakers and consumer advocates.
Supporters praise DOGE for reducing government waste. They argue that federal spending is out of control, with the national debt reaching $36 trillion. Trump has stated that he aims to cut programs that do not align with his policies and reduce the federal workforce.
Critics, however, accuse DOGE of operating with little transparency. Many question the legitimacy of its staffing and decision-making process. The speed and scale of its budget cuts have also alarmed some lawmakers.
The Team Behind DOGE
DOGE has assembled a team of young engineers to modernize government operations through technology and automation. Most of them are under 25, some fresh out of college. Notable names include Edward Coristine, Luke Farritor, Gautier Cole Killian, Gavin Kliger, Ethan Shaotran, and Akash Bobba. Another key figure is Nikhil Rajpal, an Indian-origin engineer listed as an "expert" at DOGE.
Who Is Akash Bobba?
At just 21 years old, Akash Bobba serves as Senior Adviser to the Director at DOGE. He reports directly to DOGE's Chief of Staff, Amanda Scales, a former recruitment leader at xAI and Uber. Bobba has high-level security clearance, allowing him access to government systems.
Bobba attended West Windsor Plainsboro High School before enrolling at the University of California, Berkeley. There, he joined the Management, Entrepreneurship, and Technology (MET) program, designed for future tech leaders.
Bobba's resume includes stints at Meta, Palantir, and investment firm Bridgewater Associates. His coding skills gained recognition at Berkeley when he rewrote an entire project overnight after a teammate accidentally deleted it before a major deadline.
His 2021 graduation speech emphasized critical thinking in the digital age. "We live in an era where short-form content defines our identity. This oversimplification fuels misinformation and divides communities," he said. "The solution? Seek discomfort."
Following the announcement of his role at DOGE, former Berkeley classmates praised Bobba as a highly intelligent problem-solver.
Who Is Nikhil Rajpal?
Unlike Bobba, little is publicly known about Nikhil Rajpal. The 30-year-old engineer reportedly grew close to Musk while working at Twitter, now rebranded as X. He currently serves as an "expert" at DOGE and has access to sensitive government personnel data.
According to a WIRED report, Rajpal also obtained access to data at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). His name appears in NOAA's employee directory. However, his online presence has been largely erased in recent months.
Public records suggest Rajpal studied computer science and history at UC Berkeley. Before joining Twitter, he worked on redesigning Tesla's vehicle console.
During his college years, Rajpal led a libertarian-aligned student group advocating for "minimal government, free markets, and maximum individual liberty."
The Future of DOGE
As DOGE pushes forward with aggressive cost-cutting, legal and political battles are intensifying. Supporters argue the agency is necessary for fiscal responsibility, while critics warn of privacy risks and unchecked authority.
With Musk at the helm, the debate over DOGE is far from over.
