Is DOGE Still Active & How Much As Been Cut So Far?

When the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) first launched, it dominated the headlines with bold promises of slashing trillions from the federal budget. Led by high-profile tech moguls, the initiative promised a radical overhaul of government spending. But the daily barrage of press releases has slowed, leading many Americans to wonder: is DOGE still active?

The short answer is yes, but the strategy has shifted. While the department may have stepped out of the limelight, its team members remain deeply embedded within federal agencies. If you are trying to determine is DOGE still active, you have to look past the headlines and into the granular data of government contracts and agency restructuring.

This guide explores the current status of the initiative as of early 2026, analyzes the confirmed savings versus the initial promises, and answers the burning question: is DOGE still active in the way we originally thought?

The Current Status: Is DOGE Still Active?

There has been significant confusion regarding the department's operational status. Reports from media outlets in late 2025 suggested the centralized entity had disbanded. However, high-ranking government officials have pushed back, clarifying that while the structure has changed, the mission has not.

Those who have worked in DOGE have stated that DOGE is very much alive and that it is still waste and fraud being cut.

So, is DOGE still active? According to government employees the answer is a definitive yes. Sources report that DOGE affiliates have "burrowed" into agencies, transitioning from external auditors to internal decision-makers. They are no longer just making recommendations; they are now managing departments, redesigning hiring processes, and overseeing grant terminations.

The "Burrowing" Strategy

The question shouldn't just be "is DOGE still active?" but rather how is it active? The initiative has moved away from a centralized "Department" structure and toward a decentralized model.

DOGE reps are now working directly inside agencies like the IRS, the CDC, and the newly formed National Design Studio (NDS). For example, at the IRS, new coding proficiency tests were rolled out for technical staff—a move directly attributed to DOGE members seeking to run the agency more like a Silicon Valley tech company.

How Much Has Actually Been Cut?

The initial promise was staggering: a goal to reduce the deficit by $2 trillion. Now that we are in 2026, the official numbers paint a different picture.

According to the official DOGE.gov savings tracker (last updated January 1st, 2026), the estimated savings stand at $215 billion. While this is a significant sum, it falls well short of the multi-trillion-dollar targets set during the department's inception.

Breaking Down the $215 Billion

Where is this money coming from? The reported savings are a mix of:

• Contract Cancellations: Terminating "wasteful" contracts with private vendors.
• Grant Terminations: Stopping funding for specific research and non-governmental organizations.
• Lease Terminations: Exiting vacant government buildings and selling federal property.
• Workforce Reductions: Cutting personnel and reducing redundant roles.

However, critics point out that these numbers can be misleading. A significant portion of these "savings" comes from cutting the ceiling value of contracts—the maximum amount the government could have spent—rather than money that was actually scheduled to be paid out.

For instance, independent audits found that the 13 largest claimed cancellations were initially incorrect or exaggerated. In one notable correction, an $8 billion claimed saving was actually an $8 million contract—a data entry error that skewed the early success metrics.

Why It Seems Like DOGE Disappeared

If you are asking "is DOGE still active," it is likely because the public spectacle has faded. In the early days, the department posted daily updates on X (formerly Twitter) about specific grants they found absurd, like one for alpaca farming studies.

Now, the work has become more bureaucratic and technical. The focus has shifted to:

• IT Modernization: Replacing expensive contractors with internal software engineers.
• Data Integration: Merging databases across the IRS, DHS, and Social Security Administration to detect fraud.
• Process Digitization: Converting paper-based workflows (like retirement processing) into digital systems.

This "backend" work is less visible to the public but arguably more impactful on how the government functions. It explains why you might struggle to find news headlines and find yourself asking, "is DOGE still active?"

Specific Examples of Ongoing Activity

To prove is DOGE still active, we can look at specific recent actions taken across the federal government in 2025 and 2026:

• IRS Overhaul: The agency has cancelled unused software licenses (like thousands of dormant Zoom and Microsoft accounts) aimed at saving millions annually.
• CDC Restructuring: There have been significant staff reductions and a shift in leadership, with DOGE-linked advisors taking key policy roles.
• Medicaid and ACA: Partnerships have reportedly identified billions in duplicative enrollments, removing ineligible individuals from government healthcare rolls.
• Lease Cancellations: The General Services Administration (GSA) has accelerated the sale of underutilized federal properties, saving hundreds of millions in maintenance and rent.

The Controversy: Savings vs. Spending

Despite the cuts, overall federal spending has not plummeted as some expected. Critics note that while DOGE has cut specific programs, other areas of the budget continue to grow, leading to a net increase in spending in some quarters.

This discrepancy fuels the skepticism of those asking "is DOGE still active?" If the department is active, why isn't the total deficit dropping faster? The answer lies in the complexity of the federal budget. Discretionary spending (which DOGE targets) is a smaller slice of the pie compared to mandatory spending like Social Security and Medicare, which remain largely untouched by these specific efficiency measures.

What This Means for Taxpayers

The official government website estimates the savings amount to roughly $1,335 per taxpayer. However, this is a theoretical number based on the $215 billion figure. Most taxpayers have not seen a direct rebate or tax reduction corresponding to this amount. Instead, the "savings" are theoretically applied to reducing the national deficit or reallocated to other government priorities.

Conclusion: The Future of Government Efficiency

So, is DOGE still active? Yes. It has evolved from a loud, external disruptor into a quiet, internal force reshaping the federal workforce and technology stack.

While the $2 trillion savings goal remains distant, the verified $215 billion in cuts represents a shift in how the government approaches procurement and personnel. The department may no longer be dominating the news cycle with daily press conferences, but its the DOGE team is still at work.

For those still wondering "is DOGE still active," the evidence is in the agency restructuring, the cancelled contracts, and the new digital mandates rolling out across Washington. The headlines may be gone, but the audits continue.