President Donald Trump’s administration already faces multiple lawsuits alleging that the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency — or DOGE — is violating federal laws, kicking off a wave of litigation that is expected to challenge the new administration’s policies.
Several lawsuits accuse DOGE of violating a federal law called the Federal Advisory Committee Act, which mandates transparency and ideological balance for committees assembled to advise a president or agencies. The lawsuits are seeking court orders that would block the administration from carrying out DOGE’s recommendations until it complies with the federal law.
During Trump’s first administration, multiple commissions faced FACA litigation. One of those commissions, a committee pulled together to study voter fraud after Trump claimed falsely that millions voted illegally in the 2016 election, ultimately shut down due to the lawsuits.
CNN reached out to a DOGE spokeswoman for comment.
According to CNN One legal challenge against DOGE was brought by the public interest law firm National Security Counselors, which represents federal employees, and was joined in the lawsuit by two individual lawyers with experience representing public workers and who submitted applications to serve on DOGE that allegedly went unanswered.
Another lawsuit — brought by the liberal advocacy group Public Citizen; the American Federation of Government Employees, a union representing federal employees; and the State Democracy Defenders Fund, a group co-founded by Obama White House ethics lawyer Norm Eisen — alleges similar FACA violations.
A third lawsuit is being brought by a coalition that includes a teachers’ union, veterans’ organizations, and public interests groups focused on auto safety and public health issues.
