DOGE: How a Shiba Inu meme became Trump, Elon Musk’s tool to drain the swamp

Last updated:Nov 13, 2024 6:41 PM IST

Donald Trump tapped Elon to lead DOGE – a tool to reduce bureaucracy in the US government – ​​and the name came from an internet meme.

The DOGE, which will have the famous Shiba Inu as its mascot, plans to radically transform the structure of the US government under the leadership of Musk, Trump and Ramaswamy. (IMAGE:

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

They claim it will be a tool to cut through 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 originated from an internet meme and is also the name of a well-known cryptocurrency.

Both Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, the appointed head of the department, 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 mass layoff of government employees, as Musk and Ramaswamy have a business background.

The DOGE’s roots 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 inspired cryptocurrency Dogecoin. Kabosu died earlier this year.

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

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

However, the tech mogul has emphasized 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 that he bought and renamed.

Elon has shared memes and reposted

He said there will be rewards for government officials who are efficient. “Incentives are important. There should be rewards for sensible spending, but those who waste taxpayer money should not continue to do so without consequences,” he said in a post on X.

“All actions of the government’s Ministry of Efficiency will be posted online for maximum transparency. If the audience thinks we’re leaving out something important or something wasteful, let us know! We will also have a leaderboard for the most outrageously stupid use 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.

Location:

Washington DC, United States of America (USA)