DOGE, short for the Department of Government Efficiency and a nod to a popular meme coin, is no longer operational, despite earlier intentions for it to run until mid-2026. Originally pitched as a way to cut trillions from the US budget and significantly scale back public administration, the project has been quietly retired, with its responsibilities shifted to the federal human resources office.
Introduced as an innovative, if unorthodox, effort under a recent US executive order, DOGE blended internet culture with public policy. Its name drew attention due to its link to Dogecoin, a cryptocurrency tied to internet humour and a well-known tech billionaire. This mix of satire and symbolism brought it media coverage as a vehicle for anti-bureaucracy reform, though it ultimately failed to hold public or institutional interest.
DOGE was intended to operate temporarily with a straightforward mission and a celebrity-backed profile. However, updates to its official website ceased in early October, and leadership now states its key functions are “decentralised.” Behind the scenes, its core responsibilities have been reassigned, signalling a quiet but definitive end to a high-profile experiment in administrative reform.
Wider developments suggest a shift in cultural direction. The past decade’s fusion of politics and online absurdity appears to be losing ground. Meme-based cryptocurrencies are declining sharply in value, with Bitcoin experiencing its sharpest downturn since 2022. Over $1 trillion has been wiped from the digital asset market during a two-month slump, and institutional investors seem to be pulling back from this hype-driven sector once boosted by influencers and politicians.
As cryptocurrency and political theatrics lose momentum, the end of DOGE may signify more than the closure of a quirky office. It could mark the close of an era. Viral gimmicks and economic satire in public policy are giving way to legal, political and financial constraints. The joke-driven chapter of government may finally be over.
