Court Battle: Elon Musk Must Testify Over USAID Shutdown

With the court recently ruling that Elon Musk must testify regarding the shutdown of USAID, all eyes are on the “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE). Musk and his team have been aggressively targeting federal agencies to hit their $2 trillion savings goal, but they are running into a wall of lawsuits along the way.

Here is the current “DOGE Hit List”—the agencies being dismantled and the legal battles they are fighting right now.

1. The Big Targets: High-Profile Dismantlings

These agencies have seen the most aggressive action, ranging from frozen funds to complete office closures.

• USAID (Agency for International Development): * Status: Effectively shuttered. Headquarters and the website were taken offline.
  • Legal Battle: Current lawsuit (Does v. Musk) argues the shutdown was unconstitutional. This is the case where a judge just ruled Musk must sit for a deposition.
• Department of Education: * Status: Major staff cuts. DOGE has gained full access to IT systems to identify “redundant” roles.
  • Goal: The administration has vowed to dismantle this department entirely and move its functions to the states.
• CFPB (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau):
  • Status: Targeted for “deletion.” Musk has hinted at shutting it down completely, calling it a “rogue agency.”
• FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency):
  • Status: Funding freezes. Musk claimed (without evidence) that the agency was housing undocumented immigrants in luxury hotels, leading to immediate spending reviews.

2. The Workforce “Purge”: 50,000 Jobs at Risk

DOGE isn’t just closing offices; it’s targeting the people inside them.

• New “Schedule Policy” Rule: As of February 5, 2026, a new rule was finalized that converts roughly 50,000 non-political career employees into “at-will” workers.
• The Impact: This makes it much easier to fire long-term government employees without the usual lengthy appeal process.
• Legal Battle: Worker advocacy groups like Protect Democracy are filing lawsuits to block this, calling it a “loyalty test.”

3. Agencies Currently Under the Microscope

If an agency hasn’t been cut yet, it’s likely being audited. The following are currently facing “DOGE Embedded Units”:

• NIH (National Institutes of Health): A judge recently issued a temporary order blocking mass layoffs here.
• Social Security Administration: DOGE is currently hunting for “fraud” within the system.
• State Department: Worldwide missions have been told to prepare for massive staff reductions.
• FAA (Federal Aviation Administration): Targeted for an overhaul following a major plane crash in DC earlier this year.

4. Summary of Active Legal Challenges

The Trump administration argues DOGE is legal under “Executive Power,” but critics call it a constitutional crisis.