DOGE and the Modern Czar: Executive Power, Accountability, and the Trump Administration

Soon after President Donald Trump created the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), controversy arose over its aggressive cost-cutting and broad authority across federal agencies. The effort was led by Elon Musk, raising constitutional questions about whether a non-vetted, non-Senate-confirmed figure chosen by the president can wield sweeping policy, regulatory, and spending power. This paper briefly defines the “czar” concept and traces its historical roots. It then examines the development of DOGE and evaluates whether Musk and the agency fit the czar model. We analyze the political and institutional forces behind its creation and argue that DOGE reflects a broader trend toward the centralization of executive authority and push for expansive presidential control. Finally, we analyze how Trump leveraged DOGE’s proximity to the White House to evade accountability and therefore provide room to centralize presidential power while reshaping the federal government.