Not Elon Musk, Amy Gleason is leading US President Donald Trump's DOGE; who is she?

The United States White House has officially named Amy Gleason as the acting administrator of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), ending weeks of confusion and speculation about who actually heads the newly-established agency.

Billionaire Elon Musk – described as a senior adviser to US President Donald Trump – has been the public face of DOGE since its inception in January.

However, court filings revealed that Musk, 53 – also the owner of Tesla and X – holds no official authority over DOGE.

Gleason’s work
Gleason, 53, began her career in nursing before venturing into healthcare technology. She had worked as a digital services expert at the United States Digital Service (USDS) from 2018 to 2021. As part of the digital agency, she had played a role in the US government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gleason rejoined the agency late last year, media reports said citing official documents.

In between her stints with the government, Gleason worked as a chief product officer at Russell Street Ventures and Main Street Health, two Nashville, Tennessee-based health startups – both founded by Brad Smith, a former health official in the Trump administration.

Gleason also runs a consulting firm called Gleason Strategies, and has been actively involved in raising awareness about Juvenile Myositis, a rare autoimmune disorder which her daughter has been diagnosed with.

“Amy Gleason began her career in nursing and then discovered a passion for technology. She recognized that technology can improve healthcare, and spent years building and implementing electronic medical record and practice management technologies,” according to an official US government website.

DOGE’s efforts
DOGE – intended to cut trillions of dollars in government spending – has constantly been in the news for cutting federal jobs and blocking foreign aid. The agency aims to cut USD 2 trillion by July 2026 and claims to have already saved USD 55 billion.

However, it has received criticism from several corners for lacking transparency and spreading misinformation, with many accusing Musk of overstepping his authority.