Rep. Val Hoyle announces decision to depart House DOGE Caucus

Few initiatives have generated the sort of enthusiasm -- but also alarm -- as the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has promised to eradicate massive amounts of waste, fraud and abuse within federal realms.

While many lawmakers are fully on board with the push, Rep. Val Hoyle (D-OR), once a member of the House Delivering Outstanding Government Efficiency (DOGE) Caucus, has announced her intention to withdraw from the group, citing frustrations with Musk and his team, as The Hill reports.

DOGE Caucus takes shape

It was back in November that the House DOGE Caucus was born with the stated purpose of working in conjunction with what was still the yet-to-be finalized Department of Government Efficiency, as Fox News explained.

Spearheading the caucus' creation was Rep. Aaron Bean (R-FL), who issued a “Dear Colleague” letter asking colleagues to join the effort.

Addressing the monumental nature of the governmental reform tasks ahead, Bean said, “Taking on Crazytown is no easy task,” and in addition to securing assistance from caucus co-chair Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX), he also recruited Reps. Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ) and Ralph Norman (R-SC) during the group's earliest days.

In Bean's estimation, Musk would need “partners in Congress to accomplish many of the cuts necessary to rein in the unelected bureaucrats who have had unchecked power for far too long,” and he was ready to establish just such a coalition.

“We must take action to avoid diving headfirst off the cliff of fiscal ruin...Our DOGE Caucus, will work closely with the Department of Government Efficiency to help rein in reckless spending and stop the abuse of taxpayer dollars,” he said.

Hoyle bows out

As concerns about Musk's tactics began to grow on the left, so, it seems, did those harbored by Hoyle, who declared on Thursday her unwillingness to remain part of the caucus.

“Fundamentally, I don't see how we can do this work when Elon Musk is blowing things up,” Hoyle told Chris Cuomo of NewsNation.

She continued, “It's like trying to replace your roof when someone is throwing dynamite through the window into your living room,” though she suggested that she would continue to seek potential efficiencies within the government.

Underscoring her man objection to the current processes, Hoyle said, “President Trump handed over the keys to the White House, to the Treasury, to government, to an unelected billionaire, and you know, it's, quite frankly, very disturbing.”

In a press release announcing her departure from the group, Hoyle added, “I joined the DOGE Caucus to ensure there was a voice in the room for working people and to protect Americans' earned benefits, while also making the government more streamlined and efficient. I believe that many of my colleagues joined the caucus for the same reason and are operating in good faith,” but asserted that “Elon Musk and his lackeys are set on burning down the government -- and the law” along the way.

Musk perseveres

Undeterred by criticism from the likes of Hoyle or by the inevitable legal challenges that have already ensued, Musk has held firm in the belief that the historic opportunity he now has to effect real change must not be squandered.

Taking to X to underscore that point, Musk wrote, “This is the one shot the American people have to defeat BUREAUcracy, rule of the bureaucrats, and restore DEMOcracy, rule of the people. We're never going to get another chance like this,” and fortunately for the president, millions of Americans clearly agree.