DOGE Mass Resignations: A Deeper Look at the Resignation of 21 Federal Tech Experts

21 Government Technologists Warn That DOGE is Not Just "Auditing"—It's Seizing Control

In an unprecedented move, 21 federal technology experts from the U.S. Digital Service (the Federal Agency rebranded under Trump as the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE) resigned en masse rather than participate in what they describe as the dismantling of critical government services. Their resignation letter is a damning indictment of what DOGE is actually doing—by people with direct technical knowledge of DOGE’s operations. On the “How Worried Should I Be?” meter, this ranks “Very Worried.” Details follow.

From USDS to DOGE: A Transformation With Consequences

The U.S. Digital Service was originally created in 2014 under the Obama administration in response to the disastrous rollout of the Affordable Care Act’s healthcare.gov website. Tasked with improving the federal government's technical infrastructure, USDS recruited top tech talent from the private sector to modernize essential services and make them more accessible to the public.

That mission took a sharp turn when, via executive order, Donald Trump rebranded the agency as the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Despite its seemingly innocuous name, DOGE has been reshaped into something far different from its predecessor.

DOGE, according to Trump administration officials, is simply an oversight body designed to "audit" federal digital systems for inefficiencies. But those resigning from the agency tell a very different story—one of coercion, political loyalty tests, and the dismantling of government infrastructure under the guise of reform.

"We Swore to Serve the American People"—Until That Became Impossible

In their resignation letter addressed to White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, the departing tech experts wrote:

"We swore to serve the American people and uphold our oath to the Constitution across presidential administrations. However, it has become clear that we can no longer honor those commitments." (People)

Their central concern? That DOGE is not simply auditing federal digital infrastructure but is actively working to dismantle it. The letter describes an internal culture of intimidation, secrecy, and ideological litmus tests for employment:

"Interviewers refused to identify themselves, asked questions about political loyalty, attempted to pit colleagues against each other, and demonstrated limited technical expertise, creating significant security risks." (Business Insider)

These are not low-level bureaucrats resigning in protest over policy. They are technical personnel—the very people who understand the inner workings of federal digital infrastructure. Their warning carries serious weight.

DOGE’s Agenda Goes Far Beyond ‘Efficiency’: The Agency is "Compromising Core Government Systems"

The letter explicitly rejects the idea that DOGE’s purpose is simply to make government services more efficient. Instead, these technologists say that DOGE is pressuring them to undermine the very systems they were hired to build and protect:

"We refuse to use our technical skills to compromise core government systems, jeopardize Americans' sensitive data, or dismantle critical public services." (AP News)

This directly contradicts the Trump administration’s claims that DOGE is merely conducting "audits." If audits were the goal, there would be no reason for experienced professionals to flee en masse. Instead, those with firsthand knowledge say DOGE is seizing control over critical government systems in ways that could harm public services.

The "Just Auditing" Defense Doesn’t Hold Up

Whenever critics raise alarms about DOGE, Trump’s allies dismiss concerns as overblown. The common refrain is that DOGE is merely an efficiency project, a cost-cutting measure to ensure tax dollars aren’t wasted. But the resignation letter itself shatters this narrative. If DOGE were just auditing, why would some of the country’s most experienced government technologists feel they had no choice but to walk away?

The reality, as they see it, is that DOGE’s "efficiency" measures are not about streamlining services but crippling them. The letter makes clear that the administration’s actions are not routine bureaucratic adjustments but an attempt to remake government digital services in a way that puts political ideology above functionality and security.

"Dismantling Critical Public Services"—And What Comes Next

These resignations are a stark warning from people with firsthand knowledge of what is happening inside DOGE. They have seen the threats up close—and they are walking away rather than participate. What happens now? With these resignations, DOGE loses some of its most experienced and ethical technologists. Those who remain will likely be more willing to follow directives that could put critical public infrastructure at risk. This is consistent with the general pattern we are witnessing across governent, where non-partisan professionals are being ousted or resigning. While this mass resignation creates an acute moment of awareness for the sliver of the public who are paying attention — it also cedes control to MAGA loyalists, with all that that implies for the future actions of DOGE and the Trump administration.