Public Citizen, SDDF, and AFGE v. Trump

Shortly after the 2024 election, Mr. Trump announced that billionaire businessmen Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy would lead a new government commission, which Mr. Trump christened as the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Despite the name, DOGE is not a department of the United States government. It an advisory group created to provide advice and guidance, primarily with respect to cuts to government agencies and programs, including programs that protect health, benefits, consumer finance, and product safety.

On January 20, 2025, Public Citizen, State Democracy Defenders Fund, and the American Federation of Government Employees filed suit again President Trump and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA). The complaint alleges that, in violation of FACA, DOGE’s members do not have a fair balance of viewpoints, its meetings are held in secret and without public notice, and records and work product are not available to the public. Particularly in light of these shortcomings, DOGE’s work and recommendations may endanger the three plaintiff organizations and the hundreds of thousands of everyday people whom they represent.