Court Orders DOGE to Produce Operational Records

In a major test of President Donald Trump’s bold government efficiency agenda, a federal judge has ruled that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) must release internal records in response to a lawsuit from the left-wing group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW). This legal challenge, backed by bureaucratic holdovers from previous administrations, is the latest attempt by Washington insiders to undermine one of Trump’s most innovative and effective government reforms.

U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper’s decision dismissed the Biden administration’s attempt to shield DOGE from scrutiny under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). While transparency is important, this ruling forces an agency tasked with fighting corruption to reveal its inner workings to the very forces trying to destroy it. This legal battle highlights a fundamental divide: Trump’s commitment to cutting bureaucratic waste versus Washington’s obsession with maintaining its power at any cost.

Following his landslide victory in the 2024 election, President Trump wasted no time implementing his long-promised plan to streamline government and eliminate inefficiency. One of his most ambitious moves was the transformation of the United States Digital Service into the United States DOGE Service (USDS) through an executive order in January 2025. This decision granted DOGE unprecedented authority to reshape federal operations under what Trump proudly calls the “DOGE Agenda.”

At the helm of this revolutionary effort is Elon Musk, a trusted Trump ally and tech visionary, who has been instrumental in driving innovation and slashing waste. Under Musk’s leadership, DOGE has aggressively pursued reforms, including eliminating redundant government programs, cutting unnecessary federal jobs, and implementing cutting-edge AI to replace outdated bureaucratic processes.

For decades, Washington elites have resisted efforts to make government work for the people. With DOGE, Trump has taken direct action to break through the red tape and end the culture of bloated government spending. Unsurprisingly, the entrenched establishment—both Democrat and Republican career politicians—have fought these reforms at every step, with lawsuits like this serving as their latest weapon.

CREW, a liberal activist group masquerading as a watchdog organization, filed its initial FOIA request in late 2024, demanding communications between DOGE and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). When the agency didn’t move fast enough to meet their politically motivated demands, CREW rushed to the courts, claiming DOGE was operating in secrecy.

The reality, of course, is that DOGE has been focused on its mission—implementing reforms to reduce government waste—not responding to endless paperwork requests from hostile political operatives. The lawsuit is just another example of how the Washington swamp fights back when their power is threatened.

Judge Cooper ruled that DOGE must process FOIA requests like any other government agency, but he stopped short of forcing the immediate release of all records. Instead, he instructed DOGE and OMB to assess the volume of relevant records by March 20 and negotiate a release timeline, with a joint status report due by March 27. While framed as a win for transparency, the decision ultimately hands Trump’s opponents a tool to disrupt and slow down DOGE’s essential work.

The Biden administration, still filled with anti-Trump bureaucrats, attempted to shield DOGE from FOIA requests by arguing that it was part of the Executive Office of the President (EOP) and thus exempt. However, Judge Cooper ruled that DOGE has substantial independent authority—precisely the kind of authority Trump wanted it to have to bypass the slow, ineffective Washington machine.

DOGE’s ability to streamline government operations has already delivered results. Reports show that the agency has successfully eliminated redundant government contracts, reduced federal employee headcounts, and made significant cost savings. Yet, instead of celebrating this success, Biden’s allies are using legal loopholes to slow down DOGE’s work, proving once again that they would rather see the government remain inefficient than allow Trump to succeed.

Despite this legal setback, DOGE’s mission remains unchanged. Musk and his team will continue their groundbreaking efforts to make government work for the American people, not the bureaucratic class. The release of DOGE’s records may provide ammunition for Trump’s enemies, but it will also expose the very inefficiencies and corruption the agency is working to eliminate.

Trump has made it clear that he will not let Washington elites sabotage his second term. “They can throw all the lawsuits they want,” he recently said. “We are cleaning house, and there is nothing they can do to stop us.”

The fight over DOGE is more than just a legal dispute—it’s a battle between two visions for America. One side wants an efficient, accountable government that serves the people. The other wants to keep the bloated, unaccountable bureaucracies in place to protect their power.

As this legal battle unfolds, the American people must decide: Do they want to let entrenched elites use lawsuits and bureaucratic games to stop progress? Or do they stand with Trump and Musk as they work to create a government that is leaner, smarter, and truly accountable to the people?

One thing is clear: DOGE isn’t going anywhere, and Trump’s fight to drain the swamp has only just begun.