Trump Administration Shutters Federal Tech Unit 18F

The closure of the GSA's 18F team, directed by Elon Musk's DOGE, raises concerns over the future of key government digital services.

The General Services Administration (GSA) officially disbanded its 18F unit, a federal tech consultancy responsible for modernizing government digital services, in a late-night announcement on March 1, 2025.
The decision was part of the Trump administration's broader workforce reduction efforts, spearheaded by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
18F played a critical role in developing projects like the IRS Direct File system, weather.gov, and COVID test distribution platforms, which now face potential delays or degradation.
Former employees describe the layoffs as chaotic, with termination emails sent at midnight and immediate loss of access to government systems.
Critics argue the elimination of 18F undermines government efficiency and jeopardizes essential public-facing services, while Musk and administration officials labeled the unit as 'non-critical.'