Full List of the Federal Agencies Targeted for Dismantling by Trump and DOGE

Spearheading this initiative is the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an entity created specifically for this purpose and led by Elon Musk.

Supporters argue that these cuts eliminate government waste, while critics warn of potential chaos if key federal functions are eliminated. Below is a detailed breakdown of the eight agencies facing the most significant changes.

Learn more: What’s the Next Targets of Elon Musk and DOGE?

1. Department of Education: Trump’s Ultimate Target

The U.S. Department of Education building Aug. 21, 2024, in Washington, D.C

Perhaps the biggest target of Trump’s federal overhaul is the Department of Education (DOE). At a recent rally, Trump called the department a "con job" and stated he wants it shut down immediately.

Key Actions Taken by DOGE:

• Cancelled nearly $1 billion in federal education contracts.
• Eliminated $101 million in DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) programs.
• Cut funding to the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), which oversees education research and national student assessments.
• Laid off hundreds of DOE employees, signaling the department’s near-total shutdown.

Concerns and Backlash:

Critics argue that eliminating the DOE would create disparities in education standards across states. The National Education Association (NEA) and education experts worry that federal oversight in education is crucial, especially for low-income students and special education programs.

Learn more: Can Musk and DOGE Really Cut the Pentagon and Department of Education? Here’s What to Expect!

2. United States Agency for International Development (USAID): Halting Global Aid

The Trump administration has drastically cut funding to USAID, an agency responsible for foreign aid, humanitarian relief, and development projects.

Actions Taken:

• Issued a 90-day stop-work order, halting over 30 global health and education projects.
• Frozen humanitarian aid funds, including support for war-affected regions and disaster relief.
• Eliminated democracy promotion programs in developing countries.

Why It Matters:

Foreign policy experts warn that reducing USAID’s role could weaken U.S. global influence, leaving a vacuum for China and Russia to expand their geopolitical presence.

Who Is Chelsea Clinton? USAID Allegedly Paid Millions To Ex-President Clinton's Daughter

3. Treasury Department: DOGE’s Access to Federal Payments Under Scrutiny

One of the most controversial moves of the Trump administration’s government restructuring effort has been the Treasury Department’s decision to grant DOGE access to the federal payment system, which processes trillions of dollars in government expenditures.

How DOGE Gained Access to Treasury Data

• DOGE was granted access to the federal payment infrastructure, allowing Elon Musk’s team to review and assess government spending.
• This system handles everything from Social Security payments to military salaries and federal employee pensions.
• The move was justified as a way to increase government efficiency, but it raised immediate concerns over data privacy and financial security.

Legal Challenges and Court Orders

After two public employee unions and a retiree advocacy group sued the administration, a federal judge ruled on February 5 that DOGE employees could only receive "read-only" access to Treasury data. This meant DOGE could view financial records but not make any changes or transactions.

However, three days later, on February 8, a New York federal judge issued a temporary restraining order that fully blocked DOGE from accessing taxpayer records. This ruling was a major victory for states and advocacy groups that feared the Trump administration’s efforts could lead to privacy violations.

Concerns Over Taxpayer Data and Financial Security

• The restraining order specifically blocked DOGE from accessing sensitive taxpayer records, including Social Security numbers and personal bank account information.
• Critics argue that allowing a private entity like DOGE to handle federal financial data could compromise personal security and increase risks of government overreach.
• Some legal experts worry that this sets a dangerous precedent for how federal financial operations are handled.

What Happens Next?

With ongoing lawsuits and a temporary restraining order in place, DOGE currently cannot access key Treasury records. However, Trump and Musk remain committed to their vision of overhauling government spending. Many analysts believe the Treasury battle is far from over, with further legal challenges expected in the coming months.

4. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Deep Budget Cuts

Environmental deregulation has been a priority for Trump, and the EPA has been one of the biggest casualties.

DOGE’s Key Actions:

• 170 employees from the Office of Environmental Justice were put on paid leave.
• Environmental regulations on industrial emissions have been suspended.
• Funding for climate change research has been significantly reduced.

Potential Consequences:

Environmentalists fear that rolling back EPA policies will result in increased pollution, affecting air and water quality, and putting millions of Americans at risk.

5. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA): Cutting Climate Research

he National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Center for Weather and Climate Prediction headquarters in College Park, Md

DOGE has gained access to NOAA’s internal systems, reviewing programs related to climate research and diversity initiatives.

Key Developments:

• Climate change research grants have been frozen.
• Certain NOAA forecasting models may be discontinued, impacting storm tracking and disaster response.
• DEI-related programs within NOAA have been cut.

Why It Matters:

Climate scientists warn that cutting NOAA’s research capabilities could weaken the accuracy of U.S. weather forecasts, making it harder to predict hurricanes, wildfires, and other natural disasters.

6. Office of Personnel Management (OPM): Government Workforce Shakeup

Trump’s administration has taken direct control of OPM, the agency responsible for hiring and managing the federal workforce.

Actions Taken by DOGE:

• Locked out federal employees from OPM’s computer systems.
• Laid off thousands of career civil servants.
• Discussed merging OPM’s functions with other agencies to reduce the federal workforce.

Concerns:

Critics say this move could politicize hiring and weaken protections for nonpartisan career government employees.

7. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB): Aiming for Elimination

Trump’s administration has long targeted the CFPB, an agency that was created after the 2008 financial crisis to protect consumers from predatory financial practices.

Key Developments:

• DOGE has proposed fully dismantling the CFPB.
• Consumer protection regulations have been loosened.
• Investigations into unfair lending practices have been scaled back.

Potential Consequences:

Eliminating the CFPB could expose consumers to financial fraud and make banking and credit industries less accountable.

8. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC): Risking Financial Instability?

Perhaps one of the most shocking developments is discussions about abolishing the FDIC, the agency responsible for insuring bank deposits.

Why This Matters:

• Without FDIC protections, Americans’ bank deposits would no longer be insured.
• A financial crisis could lead to mass panic and bank runs.
• Even Republican lawmakers are divided, with many urging caution.

The financial sector is closely watching how this plays out, as any hint of eliminating FDIC protections could destabilize banking markets.

9. Inspectors General Offices: Weakening Government Oversight

In a bold move, Trump has fired at least 17 inspectors general across federal agencies.

Why This Matters:

• Inspectors general serve as watchdogs, investigating government fraud, waste, and abuse.
• Their removal could lead to more unchecked corruption in federal agencies.
• Ethics experts warn that this could erode public trust in government institutions.

Congressional Democrats and some moderate Republicans have launched investigations into these firings, arguing that removing oversight increases the risk of corruption.

10. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): Shake-Up Over Migrant Spending

FEMA’s History of Wasteful Spending

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has become the latest agency embroiled in controversy following an unexpected shake-up orchestrated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Musk’s Allegations on FEMA Spending

On February 10, Elon Musk took to X (formerly Twitter) to claim that he had discovered tens of millions of dollars in FEMA funds being used to lodge migrants in New York hotels. This post sparked outrage among conservatives, who have long criticized federal spending on migrant assistance programs.

Immediate Firings at FEMA

A day after Musk’s post, on February 11, DHS announced the firing of four senior FEMA officials:

• FEMA’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
• Two program analysts
• One grant specialist

According to DHS, these terminations were directly related to mismanagement of funds that were allegedly used for migrant housing instead of disaster relief efforts.

Political and Legal Repercussions

• The move further fuels Trump’s broader push to reform FEMA, which has already faced funding and operational challenges due to ongoing budget cuts.
• Some Democratic lawmakers have expressed concerns that Musk and DOGE are overstepping their authority by directly influencing agency decisions.
• Others see this as a politically motivated effort to reduce federal support for migrants and redirect funds elsewhere.

What’s Next for FEMA?

• Trump’s administration has hinted at further reforms within FEMA, with proposals to restructure disaster response funding and remove programs that provide non-emergency assistance to migrants.
• There are growing fears that cuts to FEMA could impact the agency’s ability to respond to natural disasters in the coming months.
• Some legal analysts warn that the firings could lead to whistleblower complaints, especially if FEMA employees believe they are being targeted for political reasons.

Learn more: FEMA’s Billion-Dollar Blunders: How Taxpayer Money Vanished Into Thin Air

Conclusion: A Government in Flux

Trump’s federal restructuring efforts are historic in scale. Whether one sees this as a necessary reduction of government waste or a dangerous dismantling of key institutions, the impact will be profound.

The next few months will be crucial in determining the future of these agencies. Legal battles, political pushback, and public response will shape the final outcome of Trump's bold and controversial overhaul of the U.S. federal government.

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