From political memes to real-world dilemmas: Why did DOGE's 294-day experiment end in failure

A government department named after Dogecoin code was born under the halo of grand reform promises and internet symbolism, only to be quietly disbanded after 294 days. This story reads like the fleeting meme coins in the crypto market—an imaginative start, a dramatic ending.

Meme Enters the Political Stage

On January 20, 2025, on President Trump’s first day in office, the U.S. government Efficiency Department DOGE was officially established. The moment this name appeared, it exploded in the crypto community—directly borrowing the code from Dogecoin, with the official website using a Shiba Inu image as the logo. Photos of Elon Musk wielding a chainsaw flooded the internet, accompanied by captions saying it was a “tool prepared for bureaucratism,” vividly echoing his promotional tactics for Dogecoin.

This wasn’t a serious government agency operating in a conventional manner, but rather a complete immersion of internet meme culture into Washington. DOGE used deconstructed design, satirical copy, and radical slogans to attract the attention of young people and internet natives. In essence, this was a typical narrative-driven political experiment.

Silicon Valley’s “Doll Soldiers” Invade Washington

DOGE’s operational approach completely overturned traditional government routines. Musk recruited about 50 young people in their twenties, who wore hoodies and jeans, running around various federal agencies, sustained by Red Bull and coffee. Within three weeks, they had installed personnel and gained control of funding flows across major agencies.

AI became the core weapon of this team. From contract allocations to employee travel reimbursements, everything was data-processed. AI discovered idle government buildings, immediately terminated leases, saving $150 million. This “rapid action, breaking norms” Silicon Valley spirit caused a huge stir within the bureaucratic system—DOGE required federal employees to submit weekly reports; those who didn’t were considered resigned; arriving late was treated as administrative leave.

The Rift Between Grand Narrative and Reality

The initial goal sounded earth-shattering: cut $2 trillion from the federal budget, and cut 70% of government employees. These exaggerated promises, like white papers from crypto projects, aimed to generate buzz and attract attention.

But reality quickly slapped them in the face. Although DOGE claimed to have cut $16 billion in expenses, they only achieved less than one-fifth of the promised target. The Senate Permanent Investigations Subcommittee even issued a report: DOGE “wasted” over $21 billion in six months. Energy Department’s frozen loan programs caused $263 million in government losses; USAID’s shutdown resulted in $110 million worth of food and medicine rotting in warehouses.

High-profile goals, exposed execution capabilities, and a cascade of lawsuits—attorneys general from 14 states sued Trump and Musk, accusing the distribution of power of violating the Constitution; DOGE faced nearly 20 charges, including violations of privacy laws and unauthorized access to sensitive data.

The End of Meme Politics

In May, Musk announced his departure from DOGE, publicly clashing with Trump over the “Big and Beautiful Bill.” Subsequently, DOGE personnel gradually evacuated the headquarters, with guards and access signs disappearing.

The head of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Scott Cooper, recently confirmed publicly: it no longer exists. DOGE’s functions were taken over by OPM, and the once-iconic federal hiring freeze was lifted. Those young members transitioned into other government departments—Joe Ghibia, co-founder of Airbnb, became responsible for the National Design Studio, and Zachary Treil became the CTO of the Department of Health and Human Services.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis tweeted: “DOGE fought the swamp, but the swamp won.” The collision of crypto culture and traditional politics ultimately ended with the victory of the bureaucratic system.

Lessons from the Symbolic Economy

From a shining debut to a silent exit, DOGE’s lifecycle precisely illustrates a key point: narratives and symbols are indeed powerful, but detached from real implementation and value creation, they are ultimately castles in the air. The crypto world has turned memes into assets, but politics has failed to transform memes into real reforms.

This experiment is not a complete failure. It shows that the deep integration of politics and crypto culture has become a reality, and future governance models with “crypto-native” features may emerge. But the key lies in balance—we need both symbolic appeal and substantive effectiveness. When meme hype fades, what remains in history are the technologies and projects that truly solve problems.