From Dogecoin to government agencies: How did a 294-day meme politics experiment come to an end?

When Meme Culture Breaks Into Power Centers

A government department directly adopting the code name of Dogecoin, appearing with Silicon Valley-style radical promises, but ending abruptly in less than a year.

This entity, called the “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE), existed for a total of 294 days from inception to disbandment. Coincidentally, this lifespan is exactly like those fleeting meme coins in the crypto market—hotter to rise, cooler to fall.

The Director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management recently publicly admitted: “It is no longer here.” An intense political experiment, quietly coming to an end.

From Shiba Inu Meme to Official Government Website

On January 20, 2025, the day of the inauguration, the new president signed an executive order establishing the DOGE department. This name is nothing unfamiliar to the crypto community— a well-known entrepreneur long supporting Dogecoin has now directly embedded this meme into the political arena.

Their official website design is full of Web3 style: the classic Shiba Inu logo of Dogecoin, color schemes perfectly replicating the crypto community’s aesthetic. The serious and rigid feel of traditional government agencies? Nonexistent.

What’s even more astonishing is their social media promotion — a tech mogul holding a chainsaw for a photo, captioned as “for the bureaucrats.” This approach mirrors his previous hype for Dogecoin: using exaggerated symbols to generate buzz, breaking cognitive boundaries with meme culture.

The entire communication strategy is about deconstructing authority. When government departments start speaking in memes, it’s hard to tell whether this is innovation or a farce.

Silicon Valley Tactics Enter Washington

This department’s operation bears little resemblance to traditional government, more like a startup with Series A funding.

The core team comprises 50 young people in their twenties, nicknamed “Kids Soldiers” by outsiders. They wear hoodies and jeans, rely on Red Bull to survive, and within three weeks, placed staff in major federal agencies, controlling funding approval power.

Their work style is extremely aggressive: AI technology is fully involved, with contracts and reimbursements fully data-driven. The system quickly identifies idle office buildings and money-burning projects. When problems are found, they act immediately—vacate and lease out idle buildings, saving $150 million; require federal employees to submit weekly reports, and those who don’t are treated as resignations.

This “fast action, breaking conventions” Silicon Valley credo is disastrous in the traditional political ecosystem. Threatening employees with administrative leave for absence directly sparks backlash from all sides.

Grand Narrative Meets Reality

The initial goal sounded explosive: cut $2 trillion from federal budgets, optimize 70% of government employees. These figures are as exaggerated as those in crypto project whitepapers—eye-catching, but whether they can be achieved is another matter.

Reality hit fast.

Although DOGE claimed to have cut about $160 billion in spending, this is less than one-fifth of its original target. A Senate investigation report was even harsher: over the past six months, DOGE “wasted” more than $21 billion in government funds.

How was the waste caused? The Energy Department’s loan programs were frozen, losing $263 million in interest income; the International Development Agency halted, with $110 million worth of food and medicine rotting in warehouses. The chain reaction of stopping projects is far more complex than the numbers suggest.

Legal suits followed. Attorneys general from 14 states sued, alleging constitutional violations of the authority granting process; nearly 20 lawsuits involve violations of privacy laws, unauthorized access to sensitive data, and more. The gap between the grand narrative and actual execution cannot be bridged with PowerPoint slides anymore.

The Final Chapter of the Meme Experiment

The withdrawal process was a stark contrast to the flamboyant debut—no ceremony at all.

In May this year, that tech mogul announced his resignation, openly clashing with the president over a certain bill. In summer, DOGE personnel gradually evacuated the headquarters, with security posts and authorization signs dismantled. The Director of the Office of Personnel Management only confirmed this month: the department no longer exists, its functions absorbed by traditional agencies.

The iconic freeze on government hiring has also been lifted. Team members transitioned to other roles— a co-founder of a short-term rental platform took charge of the national design studio, another became CTO of the health department. The experiment is over, but some ideas are being integrated into the traditional structure.

One governor commented on social media: “DOGE fought swamps, but the swamp won.” This political meme coin experiment ultimately ended with the victory of the traditional power structure.

Where Are the Limits of Symbolic Economy?

The story of DOGE is actually a microcosm—it marks the deep penetration of crypto culture into the traditional realm but also exposes a core issue: How far can narrative and symbols take us?

Memes are indeed powerful tools for building consensus. Shiba Inu icons, chainsaw photos, exaggerated slogans—these symbols can generate huge buzz in a short time. But when the hype fades, stories lacking technological implementation and value creation are ultimately just castles in the air.

This logic is repeatedly played out in the crypto market—how many meme coins have gone to zero after social media hype? How many projects drew perfect curves during roadshows but failed to deliver even a product?

In the future, more political institutions or governance models with “crypto-native” features may emerge. The key is how to combine the innovative spirit of the crypto world with the stability of traditional governance—both symbolic appeal and substantive execution are necessary.

Those who truly solve problems with technology and projects will always stay at the table. As for those purely hyping concepts? The market will give the answer.