DOGE: How A Shiba Inu Meme Became Trump, Elon Musk’s Tool To Drain The Swamp

Last Updated:November 13, 2024, 18:41 IST

Donald Trump has tapped Elon to lead DOGE - a tool to reduce bureaucracy in the US govt - and its name emerged from an internet meme.

The DOGE, which will have the famous Shiba Inu as its mascot, intends to radically transform the structure of the US government led by Musk, Trump and Ramaswamy. (IMAGE: X)

US President-elect Donald Trump, Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy will use the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to downsize the federal bureaucracy with corporate-like precision.

They claim that it will be a tool to slash bureaucracy and radically transform the structure of the US government. However, the acronym DOGE is a surprising fusion of internet culture and American politics.

DOGE originates from an internet meme and is also the name of a famous cryptocurrency.

Both Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, the department’s appointed head, have embraced the playful yet serious tone of the Shiba Inu mascot, sharing images of the dog alongside the department’s logo.

Observers expect a massive government employee layoff as Musk and Ramaswamy have corporate backgrounds.

The roots of the DOGE lie in the 2010 meme featuring a Shiba Inu dog, Kabosu, whose expressive face became synonymous with humorous and often nonsensical captions. When the image went viral in 2013, DOGE evolved into a broader cultural phenomenon and also went on to inspire cryptocurrency Dogecoin. Kabosu died earlier this year.

Musk has been vocal about the need to reform the government, claiming the DOGE initiative will be a disruptive force aimed at dismantling the so-called “swamp" of inefficiency in Washington.

Ramaswamy, who has proposed extreme measures like reducing the federal workforce by 75% and eliminating agencies like the FBI and IRS, believes the DOGE represents an urgent overhaul of the US system.

The tech mogul, however, has highlighted that DOGE is not a threat to democracy but a threat to bureaucracy in a post on X, the social media platform known as Twitter which he bought and rebranded.

Elon has been sharing memes and reposting X posts of people backing DOGE as many on the right side of the political spectrum believe DOGE will boost government efficiency and stop wastage of taxpayer money.

He said that there will be rewards for government officials who are efficient. “Incentives matter. There should be rewards for wise spending, but those who waste taxpayer funds cannot be allowed to keep doing so without consequences," he said in a post on X.

“All actions of the Department of Government Efficiency will be posted online for maximum transparency. Anytime the public thinks we are cutting something important or not cutting something wasteful, just let us know! We will also have a leaderboard for the most insanely dumb spending of your tax dollars. This will be both extremely tragic and extremely entertaining," Musk said.

The DOGE plan has also sparked debate. While many Americans support the idea of reducing government waste, others remain wary of the concentration of power in Musk’s hands.

Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)

News world DOGE: How A Shiba Inu Meme Became Trump, Elon Musk’s Tool To Drain The Swamp