Steve Davis left DOGE in May, but officials say he’s still running the show

Despite officially stepping down from his role in the U.S. government back in May, Steve Davis, a close associate of Elon Musk, is said to still be directing operations at DOGE, according to reports from the Wall Street Journal. Davis, known for his long-standing allegiance to Musk, is reportedly providing guidance to current DOGE officials and has even labeled his departure as 'fake news.' TechCrunch sought clarification from The Boring Company, where Davis serves as president, but no comments were available. His ongoing involvement indicates that Davis remains significantly more engaged with the agency than many might suspect. Known for his frugality, he has been known to approve expenditures as minimal as a few hundred dollars. His dedication to Musk is underscored by anecdotes of him and his family sleeping at X's headquarters after Musk took control of the platform. The dynamics at DOGE are complicated by Musk's recent exit and his contentious relationship with President Trump. Reports suggest that Davis's presence has led to internal strife, with employees caught in a loyalty struggle between Trump and Musk during closed meetings. The Journal notes that Musk's allies are pushing for a transformation into 'DOGE 2.0,' which aims to prioritize enhancements in government IT systems over potential job reductions. However, critics argue that this continued involvement primarily serves to advance Musk's commercial interests, including those of SpaceX, Tesla, and X.