1. United States
2. N.Y.
3. Letter

The decision to designate Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative as subject to the Presidential Records Act raises serious concerns about transparency and accountability within the federal government. This maneuver effectively shields DOGE's activities from public scrutiny and oversight through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) until at least 2034. This lack of transparency is unacceptable for an initiative ostensibly aimed at increasing government efficiency and cutting costs. The public has a right to know how their tax dollars are being utilized and what changes are being proposed or implemented within federal agencies. Allowing DOGE to operate in secrecy undermines principles of open government and democratic accountability. Furthermore, exempting DOGE from FOIA requests contradicts Musk's own stated position that "all government data should be default public for maximum transparency." Such hypocrisy from a figure who claims to champion transparency is deeply troubling. We urge the administration to reverse course on this decision and subject DOGE's records to public disclosure through FOIA requests. Only through true transparency can the American people have faith that initiatives like DOGE are acting in their best interests rather than obscuring potentially controversial or self-serving actions behind a veil of secrecy. Government efficiency should not come at the cost of open and accountable governance.