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By Anna Commander
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Social media lit up Tuesday afternoon after the White House confirmed that the new acting leader of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is Amy Gleason.
Why It Matters
DOGE, once delegated by President Donald Trump to billionaire Elon Musk, is tasked with sifting through the federal budget to cut waste.
Read More on Politics
The department has come under heavy scrutiny since Trump took office on January 20 for its deep cuts and dismantling programs like the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Musk made news over the weekend by requesting that all federal employees summarize what they worked on during the week, demanding that they send a list of highlights by bullet points. Musk warned that failure to respond to the email "will be taken as a resignation." He later said employees will have a second chance.
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What To Know
In an email to Newsweek on Tuesday, a White House official confirmed that the "Acting doge administrator is Amy Gleason." White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt tiptoed around confirming the identity of the DOGE leader during a news briefing with reporters on Tuesday.
News of Gleason's promotion spread on social media as many questioned the timing. Journalist Sam Stein reacted to the news on X, formerly Twitter, saying, "Is Amy Gleason aware of this?"
Frequent Trump critic and political commentator Tim Miller posted on X, "Elon wants you to believe that this person is the administrator of DOGE? OK! Sure buddy."
X user John Jackson, a veteran who describes himself as "former GOP" in his bio, wrote: "The White House is saying that Amy Gleason, this Obama-administration nurse, is the Administrator of DOGE. Put this into a sworn statement and file it in court, I triple-dog dare you. Depositions of Elon Musk and Gleason are the only way to resolve this."
According to her LinkedIn profile, Gleason was a senior adviser at the United States Digital Service.
What People Are Saying
Conservative X account @amuse, which has over half a million followers: "DOGE: The White House tried to protect the identity of the DOGE Administrator for as long as it could, but the media finally found her - Amy Gleason formerly a Senior Advisor at USDS. Over 30 federal employees assigned to DOGE have been doxxed by the media putting their lives in danger. Pray For Amy and her team."
Politico reporter Kyle Cheney said on X: "Of course, if Amy Gleason is the administrator of DOGE, as my colleagues and others have now confirmed, the questions now are *when* she was named and whether she has actual authority or is a conduit for Musk. DOJ lawyers couldn't answer either question in court yesterday."
Political analyst Craig Agranoff told Newsweek via text message on Tuesday: "Her appointment as acting head of DOGE raises questions about continuity and direction within the agency. Any time there's a leadership transition, particularly in an acting capacity, it can create some uncertainty, both internally and externally. Her experience and background will ultimately determine whether this move brings stability or adds to the confusion. The key factor will be how clearly the administration communicates its long-term vision for DOGE and whether this is a stepping stone to a permanent appointment or just a temporary fix."
What Happens Next
Newsweek reached out to Gleason via LinkedIn for comment, as it is immediately unclear how her role coincides with Musk's.
Update 2/25/25 8:28 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with comment from Craig Agranoff.
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