Stephen Ehikian
Exited govt: 9/03/25 (reported)
Stephen Ehikian is an executive from Silicon Valley, like so many of the DOGE leaders. His specific background involves stints at Salesforce and an AI-related startup. Since starting at GSA, he has been a prime supporter of DOGE’s various efforts both within the agency (staffing up a team of wreckers, cancelling building leases) as well as ways in which GSA’s central role can affect the wider government (canceling purchase cards, controlling shared services). He also has been a vocal booster to roll out an AI-based tool named GSAi to the whole workforce, despite it demonstrating lackluster results in pilot tests.
Positions
Appointed:
1/20/25-7/21/25 Acting Administrator
Demotion:
7/21/25-9/03/25 demoted to Deputy Administrator «Had been in the Deputy Administrator role since 1/20 but serving as Acting Administrator»
Offboarding:
Left govt 9/03/25 (reported)
Appointed:
1/20/25-7/21/25 Acting Administrator
Demotion:
7/21/25-9/03/25 demoted to Deputy Administrator «Had been in the Deputy Administrator role since 1/20 but serving as Acting Administrator»
Offboarding:
Left govt 9/03/25 (reported)
| Source: | GSA announces new FAS, TTS leadership NextGov, 1/24/25 |
| Source: | GSA deputy Stephen Ehikian to ‘transition out’ of current role Federal News Network, 9/03/25 |
| Source: | Trump installs new GSA acting administrator, sidelines DOGE leaders Politico, 7/01/25 |
Events
1/20/25
Appointed:
Stephen Ehikian starts as Acting Administrator at GSA.
Appointed:
Stephen Ehikian starts as Acting Administrator at GSA.
| Appointed: | Stephen Ehikian 1/20/25-7/21/25 |
| Position Title: | Acting Administrator |
| Source: | GSA announces new FAS, TTS leadership NextGov, 1/24/25 |
Onboarding:
Stephen Ehikian is sworn in as the Acting Administrator of the GSA. This move allows the administration to avoid a confirmation process for the role.
Onboarding:
Stephen Ehikian is sworn in as the Acting Administrator of the GSA. This move allows the administration to avoid a confirmation process for the role.
| Person: | Stephen Ehikian |
| Source: | GSA announces new FAS, TTS leadership NextGov, 1/24/25 |
| Agency: | GSA |
1/30/25
Interagency Coordination:
Elon Musk reportedly visits GSA to meet with staff, several of whom are identified from their appearances in the internal directory for the agency. These include Steve Davis, Nicole Hollander, Thomas Shedd, Stephen Ehikian and Luke Farritor.
Interagency Coordination:
Elon Musk reportedly visits GSA to meet with staff, several of whom are identified from their appearances in the internal directory for the agency. These include Steve Davis, Nicole Hollander, Thomas Shedd, Stephen Ehikian and Luke Farritor.
| Person: | Elon Musk, Luke Farritor, Nicole Hollander, Stephen Ehikian, Steve Davis, Thomas Shedd |
| Source: | Musk visits and asserts growing influence at GSA NextGov, 1/30/25 |
| Agency: | DOGE, GSA |
2/06/25
| Person: | Aram Moghaddassi, Brian Bjelde, Emily Bryant, Jim Hickey, Katrine Trampe, Michael Cole, Michael Grimes, Michael Mirski, Riley Sennott, Scott Coulter, Scott Langmack, Stephen Ehikian, Tarak Makecha, Tom Krause |
| Source: | FOIA response by GSA for visitor logs in 2025 Document Cloud, 4/10/26 |
| Agency: | Commerce, DOGE, DOI, DOL, GSA, HUD, NASA, OPM, Treas., USDA |
2/09/25
Sighting:
DOGE members Baris Akis, Katrine Trampe, Jordan Wick and Riley Sennott are signed in to work at GSA headquarters on a Sunday. It’s unclear if they are there for a meeting or just to use the DOGE working space inside of GSA. They are hosted at the building by Thomas Shedd, Stephen Ehikian and Ethan Shaotran.
Sighting:
DOGE members Baris Akis, Katrine Trampe, Jordan Wick and Riley Sennott are signed in to work at GSA headquarters on a Sunday. It’s unclear if they are there for a meeting or just to use the DOGE working space inside of GSA. They are hosted at the building by Thomas Shedd, Stephen Ehikian and Ethan Shaotran.
| Person: | Baris Akis, Jordan Wick, Katrine Trampe, Riley Sennott, Stephen Ehikian, Thomas Shedd |
| Source: | FOIA response by GSA for visitor logs in 2025 Document Cloud, 4/10/26 |
| Agency: | GSA |
3/20/25
Report:
Stephen Ehikian claims during an all-hands meeting that there is nobody from DOGE working at the agency. This is met with widespread ridicule by staff who know about the secured DOGE floor.
Report:
Stephen Ehikian claims during an all-hands meeting that there is nobody from DOGE working at the agency. This is met with widespread ridicule by staff who know about the secured DOGE floor.
| Person: | Stephen Ehikian |
| Source: | DOGE officials across government appear on GSA’s shortlist of vetted personnel Federal News Network, 4/08/25 |
| Agency: | GSA |
| DOGE Project: | Impunity |
3/25/25
Interagency Coordination:
Nate Cavanaugh contacts the administrator of the GSA to propose transferring the USIP building to them, arguing that USIP won’t need a building because the statute doesn’t mandate it should have one or the staffing to fill it.
Interagency Coordination:
Nate Cavanaugh contacts the administrator of the GSA to propose transferring the USIP building to them, arguing that USIP won’t need a building because the statute doesn’t mandate it should have one or the staffing to fill it.
| Person: | Nate Cavanaugh, Stephen Ehikian |
| Source: | USIP v. Jackson, doc 15-3 Court Document, 3/31/25 |
| Agency: | GSA, USIP |
| DOGE Project: | Elimination |
4/08/25
Identification:
A partial copy of the GSA’s A-Suite access list includes multiple DOGE personnel who are listed as based in GSA.
Identification:
A partial copy of the GSA’s A-Suite access list includes multiple DOGE personnel who are listed as based in GSA.
| Person: | Akash Bobba, Edward Coristine, Luke Farritor, Nate Cavanaugh, Stephen Ehikian, Steve Davis |
| Source: | DOGE officials across government appear on GSA’s shortlist of vetted personnel Federal News Network, 4/08/25 |
| Agency: | GSA |
| DOGE Project: | Impunity |
6/03/25
Interagency Coordination:
Steve Davis walked into DOGE’s weekly meeting at the GSA, asserting he was still in charge even though he was no longer a government employee. The acting director of the GSA, Stephen Ehikian, reportedly responded “Steve Davis remains in charge until he says he’s not” to DOGE members confused by this turn of events.
Interagency Coordination:
Steve Davis walked into DOGE’s weekly meeting at the GSA, asserting he was still in charge even though he was no longer a government employee. The acting director of the GSA, Stephen Ehikian, reportedly responded “Steve Davis remains in charge until he says he’s not” to DOGE members confused by this turn of events.
| Person: | Stephen Ehikian, Steve Davis |
| Source: | Inside the DOGE Succession Drama Elon Musk Left Behind Politico, 11/21/25 |
| Agency: | DOGE, GSA |
c.6/05/25
Disruption:
Concerned by people questioning his continued authority, Steve Davis reportedly taps Anthony Armstrong, Josh Gruenbaum and Stephen Ehikian to assess the loyalty of DOGE staffers and assert they are the leadership of DOGE now, acting under the authority of JD Vance and Susie Wiles in the White House. This is a bluff, and staffers in the White House counter that their authority is only within GSA itself.
Disruption:
Concerned by people questioning his continued authority, Steve Davis reportedly taps Anthony Armstrong, Josh Gruenbaum and Stephen Ehikian to assess the loyalty of DOGE staffers and assert they are the leadership of DOGE now, acting under the authority of JD Vance and Susie Wiles in the White House. This is a bluff, and staffers in the White House counter that their authority is only within GSA itself.
| Person: | Anthony Armstrong, Josh Gruenbaum, Stephen Ehikian, Steve Davis |
| Source: | DOGE lead Steve Davis did not go quietly Politico, 7/14/25 |
| Agency: | DOGE, GSA |
6/05/25
Action:
Despite having left DOGE a week prior, Steve Davis reportedly holds a meeting with DOGE staff hosted on the sixth floor of the GSA headquarters. At the meeting, he reportedly proposes a “DOGE 2.0” which would be more collaborative with agency heads.
Action:
Despite having left DOGE a week prior, Steve Davis reportedly holds a meeting with DOGE staff hosted on the sixth floor of the GSA headquarters. At the meeting, he reportedly proposes a “DOGE 2.0” which would be more collaborative with agency heads.
| Person: | Stephen Ehikian, Steve Davis |
| Source: | DOGE lead Steve Davis did not go quietly Politico, 7/14/25 |
| Agency: | DOGE, GSA |
7/21/25
Demotion:
Stephen Ehikian demoted to Deputy Administrator at GSA
Demotion:
Stephen Ehikian demoted to Deputy Administrator at GSA
| Demotion: | Stephen Ehikian 7/21/25-9/03/25 |
| Position Title: | Deputy Administrator |
| Source: | GSA deputy Stephen Ehikian to ‘transition out’ of current role Federal News Network, 9/03/25 |
| Source: | Trump installs new GSA acting administrator, sidelines DOGE leaders Politico, 7/01/25 |
| Note: | Had been in the Deputy Administrator role since 1/20 but serving as Acting Administrator |
Offboarding:
In a move that is seen as reprisal for GSA leadership’s support of Steve Davis attempt to continue running DOGE after he left, the Trump White House names Mike Rigas as the new acting administrator of GSA. This demotes Stephen Ehikian to his role as Deputy Administrator of GSA only.
Offboarding:
In a move that is seen as reprisal for GSA leadership’s support of Steve Davis attempt to continue running DOGE after he left, the Trump White House names Mike Rigas as the new acting administrator of GSA. This demotes Stephen Ehikian to his role as Deputy Administrator of GSA only.
| Person: | Stephen Ehikian |
| Source: | Trump installs new GSA acting administrator, sidelines DOGE leaders Politico, 7/01/25 |
| Agency: | GSA |
7/31/25
Report:
After removing Stephen Ehikian as the acting director of GSA, the White House has reportedly detailed nine other staffers to the agency to speed a “de-Muskification” of the agency. This is possibly also related to the GSA supporting Steve Davis over the White House in his attempt to keep running DOGE even after he had left. A source describes Josh Gruenbaum as still in the good graces of the White House.
Report:
After removing Stephen Ehikian as the acting director of GSA, the White House has reportedly detailed nine other staffers to the agency to speed a “de-Muskification” of the agency. This is possibly also related to the GSA supporting Steve Davis over the White House in his attempt to keep running DOGE even after he had left. A source describes Josh Gruenbaum as still in the good graces of the White House.
| Person: | Josh Gruenbaum, Stephen Ehikian |
| Source: | White House conducts de-Muskification at GSA Politico, 7/31/25 |
| Agency: | GSA |
9/03/25
Offboarding:
Offboarding:
| Demotion: | Stephen Ehikian 7/21/25-9/03/25 |
| Position Title: | Deputy Administrator |
| Source: | GSA deputy Stephen Ehikian to ‘transition out’ of current role Federal News Network, 9/03/25 |
| Source: | Trump installs new GSA acting administrator, sidelines DOGE leaders Politico, 7/01/25 |
| Note: | Had been in the Deputy Administrator role since 1/20 but serving as Acting Administrator |
Offboarding:
Stephen Ehikian sends an email to GSA staff announcing that he is “transitioning out” of the Deputy Administrator role after an AI startup announces that he is its new CEO. It’s unclear when his actual last date at the agency will be or how he can be working for a private entity and the GSA during this transition.
Offboarding:
Stephen Ehikian sends an email to GSA staff announcing that he is “transitioning out” of the Deputy Administrator role after an AI startup announces that he is its new CEO. It’s unclear when his actual last date at the agency will be or how he can be working for a private entity and the GSA during this transition.
| Person: | Stephen Ehikian |
| Source: | GSA deputy Stephen Ehikian to ‘transition out’ of current role Federal News Network, 9/03/25 |
| Agency: | GSA |