The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), launched in late 2024, briefly displayed Dogecoin's Shiba Inu mascot on its official website in February 2025. The arrest also ignited conspiracy theories about how the department may have been connected to the unregistered cryptocurrency. Now DOGE has the incredibly difficult orbit-shifting task of restructuring government agencies and drastically cutting costs.
The value of Dogecoin exploded by 14% after the mascot’s appearance, stoking more speculation. Yet, this display was short-lived and the relationship is still murky. The department's mission is to reduce the federal government's size and enhance cost-effectiveness.
Earlier this month, Elon Musk denied that he or his companies were responsible for DOGE’s association with Dogecoin. He explained that the department’s big goal is to make the federal government 15% more efficient.
"We're just literally trying to make the government 15% more efficient," - Elon Musk
DOGE has made major waves at a number of federal agencies. Most noteworthy are the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). DOGE’s focus is on making these and other government operations run more efficiently and effectively at a lower cost to taxpayers.
Musk said that the department’s name came as a result of people on the internet coming up with the name. Staff wanted to call it the Government Efficiency Commission to start. In the wake of hearing public testimony, they changed course and chose DOGE.
"The internet said it needs to be the Department of Government Efficiency," - Elon Musk
In fact, Musk did choose the name DOGE, but only after soliciting choices from the public. As an artist, he’s not making any money for his role in the project, a fact he freely admits and accepts.
