Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency tried to place a downsizing team at the Government Accountability Office, but the congressional watchdog rebuffed the intrusion, according to an internal bulletin viewed by POLITICO’s E&E News.
DOGE recently contacted the congressional watchdog with plans to “assign a team” to the office, according to the bulletin sent to all GAO staff on Friday. The move would be a significant expansion of DOGE’s effort to shrink U.S. federal agencies that are managed by the executive branch.
But GAO responded with a letter to the DOGE acting administrator, the former health care and tech executive Amy Gleason, explaining that the office is situated under the legislative branch and works for Congress, not the president.
“As such, we are not subject to DOGE or Executive Orders,” GAO wrote, according to the bulletin sent to staff Friday.
