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26 States Launch DOGE Offices: Behind the Push to Undermine Government from Within

At least 26 U.S. states have launched state-level versions of the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), rebranding decades-old efforts to cut public services and concentrate political power in the hands of governors and allies.

Launched under the guise of “efficiency,” these state DOGE offices mimic the federal DOGE’s playbook—dismantling public services, undermining civil service protections, and empowering business-aligned political operatives. While the branding is new, the agenda is not.

What Is DOGE and Why Are States Copying It?

The federal DOGE, initiated under the Trump administration, significantly reduced the government’s ability to deliver essential services—like managing Social Security benefits, environmental protections, and disaster forecasting.

DOGE Social Security cuts

Now, states are adopting similar models. At least 26 have launched their own DOGE-inspired offices or legislative initiatives. These efforts are framed as attempts to reduce government waste, but in practice, they:

  • Strip power from state agencies
  • Consolidate executive authority
  • Dismantle worker protections
  • Target programs addressing inequality
  • Use AI to automate and downsize public functions

Restructuring Government to Expand Executive Control

Many state DOGE efforts aim to consolidate power in the executive branch:

  • Florida has proposed eliminating the Auditor General and creating a new cabinet-level DOGE office.
  • Georgia requires agencies to re-justify regulations every four years.
  • Missouri plans to limit judicial deference to state agencies.
  • Oklahoma is actively cutting agency staffing below 2019 levels.

In line with the federal REINS Act, some states—like Wisconsin, Indiana, and Kansas—have passed their own REINS-style laws, forcing legislative approval of agency rules and further weakening expert-driven governance.

Politically Aligned Appointees Replacing Civil Servants

Instead of trained, nonpartisan professionals, some states are turning over power to political allies and business leaders:

  • Iowa’s DOGE is led by a corporate lawyer from Sukup Manufacturing, a firm with a history of safety violations.
  • Oklahoma’s DOGE is spearheaded by Marc Nuttle, a conservative operative with a record of anti-worker policy advocacy.
  • North Carolina’s DOGE is co-chaired by lawmakers with personal and ethical conflicts of interest.

These appointees often face little to no oversight from state legislatures.

Rebranded Bureaucracy Creates More Waste, Not Less

In many states, DOGE offices simply rebrand existing efficiency offices:

  • Florida touted $900 million in “savings” by rejecting federal funds long before its DOGE office even existed.
  • Oklahoma claimed $157 million in “savings” by recommending the return of critical healthcare funds.
  • South Carolina has recycled the same efficiency initiatives since 1948—with little measurable impact.

These efforts frequently duplicate existing oversight bodies, such as state auditors, while promoting misleading success metrics.

Cutting DEI, Social Services, and Public Health

DOGE offices are also advancing an agenda to dismantle equality-focused programs and social safety nets:

  • North Carolina and Wisconsin are targeting DEI programs.
  • Arizona and Kansas are overburdening welfare agencies with new red tape, limiting access to essential benefits.
  • Oklahoma and Florida are using DOGE to advocate for regressive tax policies, like reducing income taxes for the wealthy and increasing sales taxes.

The end goal: redirect funds from public programs to pay for tax cuts benefiting high-income individuals.

AI-Powered Cuts Raise Alarms

Some states are experimenting with artificial intelligence to “optimize” government—a move critics say is designed to cut staff and automate accountability:

  • North Carolina proposes using AI to recommend state workforce cuts.
  • South Carolina has considered replacing up to 40% of its public workforce with bots.
  • Florida plans to deploy tech to monitor local government spending—despite this function already being handled by auditors.

Past privatization failures—like Indiana’s disastrous 2006 automation of benefits eligibility—offer a stark warning about relying on tech over human oversight.

DOGE by Another Name: A Longstanding Agenda to Undermine Government

While marketed as a 21st-century solution to government waste, DOGE is merely a new label for a familiar right-wing strategy: erode trust in public institutions, reduce services, concentrate power, and serve the wealthy.

This multi-state rollout of DOGE shows coordinated momentum, fueled by Project 2025, the Heritage Foundation’s roadmap to remake American government. State by state, these efforts aim to transform governance from a public service to a private enterprise.

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