Which agencies are being impacted by DOGE? Education Department, USAID, NIH and more

President Donald Trump and his newly created Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, have made quick work in its goals to slash spending and shrink the federal government.

DOGE is led by the world's richest man, Elon Musk, who contributed at least $250 million to political committees supporting Trump's presidential campaign.

The Trump administration is on a mission to bring "major reform" to the federal government, as DOGE's social media biography states, rapidly slashing government contracts, reorganizing agencies and reducing the federal workforce.

Democratic attorneys general from 14 states objected to the new agency and Musk's powers in a lawsuit filed Thursday asking to halt the bureaucracy-slashing efforts. Some of the DOGE and Trump administration initiatives have already been stopped in court and more seem to come every day.

Here are some of the agencies that have been most impacted by DOGE, as of Friday.

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ordered to stop work

• What does the agency do? The CFPB was created after the Dodd-Frank Act with the intent to protect "consumers from unfair, deceptive, or abusive practices and (take) action against companies that break the law," according to the bureau's website. 
• Trump administration move: The agency was ordered to halt activity and the head of the Office of Management and Budget Russell Vought said it would no longer be funded.
• Legal challenges: Democrats are alleging Vought does not have the authority to dismantle the agency, and a union representing CFPB workers sued Vought alleging a violation in separation of powers.

USAID all but dismantled, folded into the State Department

• What does the agency do? The United States Agency for International Development is the world's largest foreign aid agency. It assisted countries whose residents are recovering from disaster or trying to escape poverty.
• Trump administration move: Musk has tried to shutter the agency, placing 10,000 worldwide employees on leave and merging it with the State Department under Marco Rubio.
• Legal challenges: At least three lawsuits have been filed in Washington over dismantling USAID, from non-profits, an employee union association and companies that contracted with the agency, according to Reuters. A federal judge has temporarily blocked Trump from placing more than 2,000 workers on administrative leave while he decides whether or not to stop Trump from completely closing the agency.

DOGE slashes funding for the Department of Education

• What does the agency do? The U.S. Department of Education oversees student loans, administers federal education funding and helps enforce compliance of federal laws.
• Trump administration move: DOGE says it canceled nearly $1 billion in research contracts and droves of staff have been placed on leave after the administration banned diversity, equity and inclusion programs in the federal government. DOGE staffers gained access to databases containing students' personal and financial information, USA TODAY's Zachary Schermele reported, citing an employee familiar with the matter.
• Legal challenges: A federal judge is expected to rule on a lawsuit brought by California students over DOGE's access to student data. The administration was also sued over the orders to ban diversity programs, Reuters reported.

Cap to NIH health research spending paused in court

• What does the agency do? The National Institutes of Health is a medical research agency overseen by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
• Trump administration move: The Trump administration imposed a new policy to limit reimbursement rates for research institutions.
• Legal challenges: Democratic attorneys general from 22 states sued and accused the NIH of exceeding its authority, Reuters reported, and a federal judge sided with them to temporarily block the cuts.

Federal layoffs begin after 'Fork in the Road' buyout allowed by judge

A federal judge Wednesday lifted a pause on a program that offered buyouts to federal employees who did not wish to return to work in person. Approximately 75,000 employees accepted the officer, which has become known as the "Fork in the Road" project.

Mass layoffs have been reported from a range of agencies after the buyout offer expired. Those who took the buyout offer constituted about 3.3% of the federal government, below the White House's projected 5%-10%. According to previous reporting from USA TODAY and Reuters, these agencies have let people go, targeting probationary workers:

• Department of Education
• Small Business Administration
• Energy Department
• General Services Administration
• U.S. Forest Service, a source familiar with the cuts told USA TODAY's Joey Garrison
• Department of Veterans Affairs
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to the Associated Press.

Contributing: Zachary Schermele, Trevor Hughes, Medora Lee, Joey Garrison, Erin Mansfield, Bart Jansen, Julia Gomez, Riley Beggin

Kinsey Crowley is a trending news reporter at USA TODAY. Reach her at kcrowley@gannett.com, and follow her on X and TikTok @kinseycrowley.