Well, folks, it didn’t take long for President Trump’s newly minted Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to become the latest lightning rod in Washington’s never-ending legal battles. Just hours after Trump was sworn back into office, four lawsuits hit D.C. federal court, targeting DOGE, its leadership, and its bold mission to trim federal spending by as much as $2 trillion. On paper, the department is tasked with streamlining government operations and rooting out inefficiencies, but to the Left, it’s nothing short of a declaration of war on their beloved bureaucracy.
At the heart of these lawsuits is the claim that DOGE is an “advisory committee” under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), which requires balanced representation of viewpoints and transparency in meetings and records. Critics argue that DOGE’s membership, led by Elon Musk and a cadre of Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, lacks diversity of thought, representing only what they call “small-government crusaders.” In other words, the people tasked with cutting government waste actually want to cut government waste—and that’s apparently a bridge too far for unions and left-wing nonprofits.
The first lawsuit, spearheaded by the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), reflects federal unions’ predictable panic. AFGE President Everett Kelley demanded a seat at the table, arguing that his union’s “deep knowledge of the federal government” makes them indispensable. Of course, what he really means is that federal unions don’t want their cozy arrangement disrupted. After all, unions thrive on expanding government and padding payrolls, not on watching the gravy train screech to a halt.
Adding fuel to the fire, the lawsuit also complains that Norm Eisen, a known anti-Trump operative, applied for a role on DOGE but was told, “we have no room in our administration for Democrats.” While the Left screams foul, one can’t help but see the irony. For years, conservatives have been systematically excluded from advisory panels, bureaucratic boards, and think tanks by left-leaning administrations. But now that the tables have turned, they cry foul over “fair balance.”
Another lawsuit, brought by the American Federation of Teachers and the American Public Health Association, takes aim at the alleged lack of representation for government workers. The lawsuit bemoans DOGE’s focus on cutting spending, calling it a “hefty price tag for the American people,” a laughable claim given that the actual hefty price tag is the bloated bureaucracy these groups are so desperate to protect. Their real concern? That their ideological agenda, funded by taxpayer dollars and union dues, could be on the chopping block.
One of the more creative legal attacks comes from National Security Counselors, Inc., which alleges that DOGE’s membership lacks expertise in national security or representation for civil servants. A lawyer from the group even submitted a job application to DOGE, citing his union membership and concern for “the livelihoods” of federal employees. Unsurprisingly, he didn’t hear back. Trump and Musk’s focus is on results, not hiring more swamp insiders to protect the status quo.
Finally, the Center for Biological Diversity’s lawsuit zeroes in on environmental concerns, claiming DOGE’s cost-cutting initiatives could strip away regulations that “protect wildlife.” They’re also upset over what they claim is a lack of transparency in Trump’s transition materials. But let’s call it what it is: another effort by radical environmentalists to obstruct any attempt to streamline government or scale back the regulatory state.
Central to all these lawsuits is the accusation that DOGE operates in secrecy. Plaintiffs point to its alleged use of encrypted communication platforms like Signal, arguing that this threatens public access to records under FACA. But in reality, the Left’s obsession with transparency is highly selective. They’re less concerned with public access to information and more concerned with derailing Trump’s mission before it gains traction.
What’s really happening here is a preemptive strike by entrenched interests terrified of losing power. Federal unions, left-wing nonprofits, and bureaucratic allies have grown fat on taxpayer dollars and see DOGE as an existential threat. By leaning on FACA and a playbook of lawsuits, they hope to bog the department down in legal red tape before it can start delivering results.
Trump’s administration has made its intentions clear: to prioritize taxpayers over bureaucrats, to end the unchecked growth of government, and to make Washington work for the people rather than itself. DOGE, led by innovators like Elon Musk, represents a direct challenge to the deeply ingrained swamp culture—and the swamp is fighting back with everything it has.
