'Won't jeopardize Americans' sensitive data': 21 DOGE staffers resign
What's the story
Twenty-one civil service employees from Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have resigned, saying they are unwilling to "compromise core government systems, jeopardize Americans' sensitive data, or dismantle critical public services."
The resignation was revealed in a letter addressed to White House chief of staff Susie Wiles and posted on WetheBuilders.org.
The employees were part of the former United States Digital Service (USDS), which Musk took over after President Donald Trump authorized him to reduce federal bureaucracy.
Detail
'We will not lend our expertise'
"We swore to serve the American people and uphold our oath to the Constitution across presidential administrations. However, it has become clear that we can no longer honor those commitments," they wrote.
"We will not use our skills as technologists to compromise core government systems, jeopardize Americans' sensitive data, or dismantle critical public services," they explained. "We will not lend our expertise to carry out or legitimize DOGE's actions."
Grievances outlined
Resignation letter details grievances against DOGE
The resignation letter mentioned job titles like "Engineer," "Product Manager," and "Designer," but omitted names.
The letter also detailed grievances such as unprofessional interviews by unknown people with White House visitor badges and indiscriminate terminations through anonymous emails.
The employees stated that those fired personnel were working on programs like Social Security, tax filing, and disaster relief, and "their removal endangers millions of Americans."
Official response
White House and Republican lawmakers respond to resignations
In an emailed statement, White House principal deputy press secretary Harrison Fields backed cutting down the government and slammed the media for reporting on Trump's mission to weed out government waste.
"DOGE has effectively become part of the USDS as a component of the White House, and any leftover career bureaucrats who don't align with the President or DOGE are neither advised nor welcomed to be a part of this never-before-seen mission to make the government more efficient," Fields added.