Elon Musk's DOGE begins major 'restructuring efforts' at Peace Corps
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Peace Corps staff face a second round of buyouts as the DOGE task force, led by Elon Musk, oversees restructuring efforts.
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President Donald Trump, left, and Elon Musk depart the White House to board Marine One en route to New Jersey, Friday, Mar. 21, 2025, in Washington (AP)
The Peace Corps is offering staff a second round of voluntary buyouts, referred to internally as the “fork in the road” program, The Guardian reported, citing a source familiar with the matter.
Peace Corps Director Allison Greene notified employees via email on Monday about the findings of the agency’s review by the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (Doge).
Founded in 1961 by then-President John F. Kennedy, the Peace Corps has sent more than 240,000 volunteers abroad to support public health, economic development, and education initiatives. Today, it maintains approximately 3,000 volunteers in 60 countries.
In the email, seen by The Guardian, Greene warned of “significant restructuring efforts” at the agency’s Washington headquarters. Between 28 April and 6 May, direct hire and expert staff will be offered a second Deferred Resignation Program, labeled “DRP 2.0.” This program, dubbed a “fork in the road” buyout by Elon Musk’s DOGE team, is being strongly recommended to eligible employees, both domestically and internationally.
Greene emphasized that the restructuring would not affect Peace Corps volunteers, and the agency will continue recruiting, training, and placing them overseas.
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Musk’s DOGE team drives restructuring at federal agencies
A Peace Corps spokesperson confirmed that the DOGE group initiated staff reductions on Monday. “The agency will remain operational and continue to recruit, place, and train volunteers, while continuing to support their health, safety and security, and effective service,” the spokesperson said.
DOGE, an unofficial task force led by Elon Musk since being appointed by US President Donald Trump, has quietly operated across various federal agencies since Trump’s inauguration. Its mission is to root out “waste, fraud, and abuse.”
To date, it has targeted nearly two dozen federal bodies, particularly those linked to foreign aid, including USAID, resulting in the termination of hundreds of employees.
Two sources with knowledge of the situation said DOGE began its operations at Peace Corps headquarters in early April.
Bridget Youngs, a DOGE representative, reportedly visited the agency to access financial records. DOGE personnel have continued to operate onsite in recent weeks.
Peace Corps employees have been instructed to cooperate fully with DOGE and to maintain precise records of all data requested and provided.
It remains unclear how many jobs will be eliminated or whether additional directives from DOGE will follow this second buyout round.
In a separate email from the agency’s human resources office on Monday, staff were told, “At this time, we cannot give you full assurance which positions will remain – or where they will be located – after an anticipated workforce restructuring.”
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