The Department of Government Efficiency has established a “firewall” to keep Elon Musk’s team separate from approximately 200 legacy employees who previously served in the United States Digital Service (USDS), according to sources speaking to WIRED.
Since Musk’s acquisition of USDS, insiders report that the original staff has had minimal interaction with Musk’s team. A representative from DOGE was expected to attend various USDS meetings last week but did not appear. The only occasion that legacy employees met with newly appointed personnel was during a Friday session with DOGE’s HR lead, Stephanie Holmes, as originally reported by WIRED. During this meeting, Holmes struggled to answer many inquiries related to the deferred resignations program offered to most federal employees.
“Their absence demonstrates they clearly don’t care about us,” stated one source to WIRED. “It’s the biggest ‘screw you’ because we’re waiting for them, and they don’t show.”
Without new guidance, sources within USDS inform WIRED that they have been operating under a “business as usual” mentality, continuing with long-term projects from the Biden administration.
“They don’t communicate with us,” one USDS employee shared with WIRED.
“From what I can see, they’re keeping a low profile,” noted another.
The Musk team’s distancing highlights the secrecy surrounding DOGE staff. Last week, WIRED reported that unnamed, younger engineers were assigned to interview staff at USDS and the General Services Administration, occasionally reviewing code. “We’re concerned about the visibility of those individuals and their personal lives being disrupted, which unfortunately occurred last week,” said Thomas Shedd, director of GSA’s Technology Transformation Service, during a recent staff meeting.
Got a Tip?
Are you a current or former government employee with insights into the situation? We’d appreciate hearing from you. Reach out to the reporter securely using a personal device on Signal at makenakelly.32.
Former USDS deputy administrator Ted Carstensen, the highest-ranking USDS official outside of Musk’s circle, resigned on Thursday. He had often invited Musk’s team members, including DOGE senior advisor Steve Davis, to join staff meetings, but they consistently failed to attend. Sources indicate that Carstensen was frequently excluded from leadership meetings and felt sidelined in decision-making. A planned meeting with Holmes for Wednesday was reportedly canceled at the last moment.
In a resignation email obtained by WIRED, Carstensen confirmed that Thursday would mark his final day. He indicated that he would not accept the deferred resignation option, known colloquially as “the fork,” which offered federal employees continued pay and benefits through September 30.
“This was a difficult choice for me, as my time with the US Digital Service has been one of the most rewarding periods of my career. I am deeply committed to the mission and have been continually inspired by the diligence, kindness, and intelligence of the team,” Carstensen expressed. “It was crucial for me to help the team reach a point where everyone could determine their own future, which is where we find ourselves now. I hope each of you chooses the path that serves you best, and I look forward to keeping in touch and seeing where your journeys lead.”
Carstensen did not immediately reply to a request for comments.
Carstensen’s choice to decline the “fork” deal reflects a prevailing sentiment among the broader USDS workforce. “There’s a strong consensus within USDS that people don’t want to take the fork because they don’t want to signal acceptance or approval of the overarching plan,” commented a USDS source.
In a subsequent internal meeting after Carstensen’s exit, staff were informed that he would not be replaced and that his responsibilities would be redistributed among the remaining team members, as per one source. Within this meeting, staff expressed concerns about the organization’s future, worrying that Carstensen’s departure indicated Musk and his team were exerting complete control.
“It’s almost clear that USDS is approaching its conclusion,” remarked one meeting participant.
“Time to prepare for the lifeboats,” remarked another.
