Nate Cavanaugh

Coder, age 28
Exited govt: 8/06/25 (reported)
A former tech entrepeneur, Nate Cavanaugh was initially spotted as one of the DOGE staffers interviewing GSA federal staff to determine layoffs. Since March however, he has been the de facto leader of DOGE’s sustained attacks against multiple independent agencies such as the NEH or IMLS. These attacks begin with Nate offering IT Modernization assistance from the GSA and then escalate through the White House firing agency leadership and naming Nate (or an associate) as the new acting agency head. Once in power, he quickly places all employees on administrative leave and starts firing staff and cancelling grants. Much like a vampire, if he shows up at the door of your agency, do not let him inside.

Positions

Appointed:
c.1/22/25-8/06/25 $120,509 «Testifies started working in early January, but formally a few days after inauguration»
Offboarding:
Left govt 8/06/25 (reported)
Source: Data Reveals Details About DOGE, Government Hiring in 2025 Bloomberg, 1/09/26
Source: The Authors Guild/American Council of Learned Societies v. National Endowment for the Humanities, doc 248-1 Court Document, 3/06/26
Source: Some DOGE Staffers Are Drawing Six-Figure Government Salaries Wired Magazine, 3/04/25
Detailed To:
2/21/25 likely detailed from GSA «verified via court filing»
Source: Brehm v. Marocco, doc 7-3 Court Document, 3/06/25
Detailed To:
2/28/25-4/04/25 detailed from GSA «agency contact was earlier, but assuming MOU signed when Marocco seized power»
Offboarding:
removed 4/04/25
Source: Aviel v. Gor, doc 35-2 Court Document, 4/18/25
Detailed To:
3/04/25-3/24/25 likely detailed from GSA «verified via court filing»
Appointed:
3/25/25-7/25/25 Acting President «After the rest of board was ousted, Nate was named President of the agency by Marco Rubio and Pete Hegseth. Voided by court order on 2025-05-19 but restored by appeals court on 2025-06-27. Replaced by Darren Beattie on 7/25»
Offboarding:
removed 7/25/25
Source: Brehm v. Marocco, doc 7-2 Court Document, 3/06/25
Source: USIP v. Jackson, doc 14-1 Court Document, 3/31/25
Source: Major MAGA Media Figure to Take Top Position at One of DOGE’s Biggest Targets The Daily Signal, 7/25/25
Detailed To:
c.3/13/25 likely detailed from GSA «Verified via court filing»
Source: The Intercept Media, Inc. v. United States Department of Government Efficiency, doc 1 Court Document, 3/24/25
Detailed To:
3/22/25? likely detailed from GSA «Linked to MCC by NPR, start date guessed from disruption there»
Source: DOGE has tried to embed beyond the executive branch. Some targets have pushed back National Public Radio, 5/20/25
Detailed To:
3/31/25 likely detailed from GSA «Based on initial reports»
Source: Bluesky post by Marisa Kabas Bluesky, 3/31/25
Detailed To:
c.4/09/25 detailed from GSA «Senate Democrats note that Cavanaugh has a commerce email address. Guessing date is around detail to MBDA.»
Source: Letter from the Senate Commerce Committee to Keith Sonderling about MBDA The Senate Commerce Committee, 4/30/25
Detailed To:
c.4/09/25 detailed from GSA «inferred from disruptions at MBDA starting»
Source: State of Rhode Island v. Trump, doc 35-4 Court Document, 4/11/25
Detailed To:
4/16/25-7/25/25 detailed from GSA «Spotted by media»
Offboarding:
detail ended 7/25/25
Source: DOGE: National Labor Relations Board Detailees Did Not Access IT Systems Between April 16 and July 25, 2025 Government Accountability Office, 4/28/26
Source: Labor Board’s DOGE Detailees Connected to Agency Take Downs Bloomberg Law, 4/21/25
Source: The Authors Guild/American Council of Learned Societies v. National Endowment for the Humanities, doc 248-2 Court Document, 3/06/26
Detailed To:
4/28/25 likely detailed from GSA «Spotted by media»
Source: DOGE targets US foreign aid agency created under first Trump administration Politico, 4/28/25
Detailed To:
5/14/25 likely detailed from GSA «Reported by media»
Source: Bluesky post by Marisa Kabas The Handbasket, 5/14/25
Detailed To:
5/21/25 likely detailed from GSA «Email cited mentioned he was from DOGE, but assuming detail from GSA»
Source: Bluesky post by Marisa Kabas The Handbasket, 5/16/25
Detailed To:
c.7/01/25-8/06/25 detailed from GSA
Offboarding:
detail ended 8/06/25
Source: The Authors Guild/American Council of Learned Societies v. National Endowment for the Humanities, doc 248-1 Court Document, 3/06/26
Detailed To:
date unknown detailed from GSA
Source: The Authors Guild/American Council of Learned Societies v. National Endowment for the Humanities, doc 248-1 Court Document, 3/06/26

Events

1/02/25
Action:
Baris Akis introduces Nate Cavanaugh to Steve Davis, so that he can recruit Nate Cavanaugh to work for DOGE. Vinay Hiremath introduced Mr. Akis to Mr. Cavanagh
c.1/21/25
Interagency Coordination:
Future DOGE employee Justin Fox is contacted by Anthony Armstrong and is recruited to work there by him and other DOGE employees who communicate with him over Signal.
Question: Fuzz: Exact date not given, but he testifies that Anthony Armstrong reached out just after inauguration
Person: Anthony Armstrong, Ethan Shaotran, Josh Gruenbaum, Justin Aimonetti, Justin Fox, Nate Cavanaugh
Source: The Authors Guild/American Council of Learned Societies v. National Endowment for the Humanities, doc 248-2 Court Document, 3/06/26
Agency: DOGE, GSA, OPM
c.1/22/25
Appointed:
Nate Cavanaugh starts at GSA.
Appointed: Nate Cavanaugh c.1/22/25-8/06/25
Salary: $120,509
Source: Data Reveals Details About DOGE, Government Hiring in 2025 Bloomberg, 1/09/26
Source: The Authors Guild/American Council of Learned Societies v. National Endowment for the Humanities, doc 248-1 Court Document, 3/06/26
Source: Some DOGE Staffers Are Drawing Six-Figure Government Salaries Wired Magazine, 3/04/25
Note: Testifies started working in early January, but formally a few days after inauguration
Disruption:
Nate Cavanaugh testifies he started working formally for DOGE a few days after the inauguration. He says his first project was a team effort to create an org chart of government agencies. This project evetually became live on the DOGE website. He does not identify who else worked on it.
1/30/25
Action:
Jordan Wick and Nate Cavanaugh visit GSA to meet with Thomas Shedd and possibly others.
Person: Jordan Wick, Nate Cavanaugh, Thomas Shedd
Source: FOIA response by GSA for visitor logs in 2025 Document Cloud, 4/10/26
Agency: GSA
2/04/25
Sighting:
Jordan Wick, Nate Cavanaugh and Frederik Lohner are signed in at GSA. Nate Cavanaugh should have been officially hired already, and Jordan Wich is detailed to GSA at some point, so it’s unclear why they signed in.
Person: Jordan Wick, Nate Cavanaugh
Source: FOIA response by GSA for visitor logs in 2025 Document Cloud, 4/10/26
Agency: GSA
2/06/25
Sighting:
Nate Cavanaugh and Frederik Lohner show up at GSA and are signed into the building by Thomas Shedd
Person: Nate Cavanaugh, Thomas Shedd
Source: FOIA response by GSA for visitor logs in 2025 Document Cloud, 4/10/26
Agency: GSA
c.2/18/25
Sighting:
Frank Schuler is introduced on a video call meeting at the GSA by Nate Cavanaugh.
Question: Fuzz: Exact date is not provided in the article
Person: Frank Schuler, Nate Cavanaugh
Source: Trump Vowed to Clean Up Washington, Then His Team Hired a Man Who Pushed a Scam the IRS Called the “Worst of the Worst” Pro Publica, 2/18/25
Agency: GSA
2/20/25
Sighting:
IAF President Sara Aviel learns that DOGE will be visiting her agency. That afternoon, she meets Nate Cavanaugh and Ethan Shaotran who both introduce themselves as GSA employees. They showed little interest in a discussion on efficiency initiatives at the agency and stated they just wanted access to systems.
Person: Ethan Shaotran, Nate Cavanaugh
Source: Aviel v. Gor, doc 35-2 Court Document, 4/18/25
Agency: IAF
2/21/25
Detailed To:
Nate Cavanaugh detailed from GSA to USADF
GSA? Detailed To: USADF Nate Cavanaugh 2/21/25
Source: Brehm v. Marocco, doc 7-3 Court Document, 3/06/25
Note: verified via court filing
Sighting:
Ethan Shaotran, Jacob Altik, and Nate Cavanaugh arrive at the agency and demand that a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) must be signed for their detail assignment.
Person: Ethan Shaotran, Jacob Altik, Nate Cavanaugh
Source: Brehm v. Marocco, doc 7-3 Court Document, 3/06/25
Agency: USADF
Interagency Coordination:
Ethan Shaotran and Nate Cavanaugh return to the IAF with Jacob Altik, who presented himself as representing the EOP. Altik confirms that DOGE plans to reduce IAF to what he considers the statutory minimum (a board and president, a location in DC, some grants) and DOGE will be conducting a Reduction in Force of all employees and terminating all grants. The demand approval from the board and threaten the board will be fired otherwise.
Person: Ethan Shaotran, Jacob Altik, Nate Cavanaugh
Source: Aviel v. Gor, doc 35-2 Court Document, 4/18/25
Agency: DOGE, GSA, IAF
DOGE Project: Elimination, Anti-Personnel, Spending
System Access:
Nate Cavanaugh and Jacob Altik then demanded immediate access to USADF systems including financial records and payment and human resources systems. They were told they had to go through standard clearance process.
Person: Jacob Altik, Nate Cavanaugh
Source: Brehm v. Marocco, doc 7-3 Court Document, 3/06/25
Agency: USADF
DOGE Project: Elimination, Spending
Disruption:
Once the MOU is signed, DOGE staff reveal their real purpose is to conduct a massive reduction in agency staff and scope and demand they must file a RIF plan by February 24th.
Person: Ethan Shaotran, Jacob Altik, Nate Cavanaugh
Source: Brehm v. Marocco, doc 7-3 Court Document, 3/06/25
Agency: USADF
DOGE Project: Elimination
2/24/25
Interagency Coordination:
USIP leadership meets with DOGE staffers James Burnham, Jacob Altik and Nate Cavanaugh to explain the history and legal status of the small independent executive branch agency and why it should not need to respond to DOGE’s demands.
Person: Jacob Altik, James Burnham, Nate Cavanaugh
Source: USIP v. Jackson, doc 1-2 Court Document, 3/18/25
Agency: USIP
Report:
The DOGE delegation counters to USIP leadership with their belief that minimum statutory size of agency is “a Board of Directors and a president, reports to Congress and the Executive branch, and expenses incident to the Board of Directors” and says they will regroup and return.
Person: Jacob Altik, James Burnham, Nate Cavanaugh
Source: USIP v. Jackson, doc 1-2 Court Document, 3/18/25
Agency: USIP
DOGE Project: Elimination
2/28/25
Detailed To:
Nate Cavanaugh detailed from GSA to IAF
GSA Detailed To: IAF Nate Cavanaugh 2/28/25-4/04/25
Source: Aviel v. Gor, doc 35-2 Court Document, 4/18/25
Note: agency contact was earlier, but assuming MOU signed when Marocco seized power
Disruption:
Peter Marocco convenes an emergency board meeting (where the emergency is that Trump issued an executive order), asserting that means he can avoid the mandatory 1-week notification to the board of the agency. In attendance at the meeting are Ethan Shaotran and Nate Cavanaugh. This is where he declares himself the new President and Acting CIO of the IAF.
Person: Ethan Shaotran, Nate Cavanaugh, Peter Marocco
Source: Aviel v. Gor, doc 35-10 Court Document, 4/18/25
Agency: IAF
3/04/25
Detailed To:
Nate Cavanaugh detailed from GSA to USIP
GSA? Detailed To: USIP Nate Cavanaugh 3/04/25-3/24/25
Source: Brehm v. Marocco, doc 7-2 Court Document, 3/06/25
Note: verified via court filing
Disruption:
USADF CFO Mathieu Zahui receives an email from Nate Cavanaugh informing him that Peter Marocco would be coming to the office the following day in his declared capacity as Chairman of the Board.
Person: Nate Cavanaugh, Peter Marocco
Source: Brehm v. Marocco, doc 7-2 Court Document, 3/06/25
Agency: USADF
Identification:
Wired reports that some DOGE staff (Kyle Schutt, Nate Cavanaugh) are being paid as full-time GSA employees, but other staff are listed as volunteers for that agency.
3/05/25
Disruption:
Nate Cavanaugh sends Ward Brehm an email demanding to know by what authority he is the President/CFO of USADF.
Person: Nate Cavanaugh
Source: Brehm v. Marocco, doc 7-2 Court Document, 3/06/25
Agency: USADF
3/06/25
Disruption:
DOGE staff Jacob Altik and Ethan Shaotran return to the agency joined by Nate Cavanaugh and US marshals to force their way into the agency.
3/09/25
Disruption:
After receiving inquiries from the DOGE staff, the head of USIP security emailed them information about the private security firm that manages access to the HQ building.
Person: Jacob Altik, James Burnham, Nate Cavanaugh
Source: USIP v. Jackson, doc 34-1 Court Document, 4/18/25
Agency: USIP
3/12/25
Disruption:
Immediately after the removal of the agency’s chair by the Trump administration, DOGE staffers Nate Cavanaugh and Justin Fox contact NEH IT for access to key systems and arrive at the agency.
Person: Justin Fox, Nate Cavanaugh
Source: When DOGE Unleashed ChatGPT on the Humanities The New York Times, 3/07/26
Source: DOGE comes for the little guy Politico, 4/16/25
Agency: NEH
DOGE Project: Elimination
c.3/12/25
:
Nate Cavanaugh is granted elevated access to Microsoft Entra ID at NEH.
System Access: Microsoft Entra ID
: admin, c.3/12/25 Nate Cavanaugh
Note: A centralized identity provider used to support single-sign-on (SSO) and centralize access control for agencies.
DOGE Project: Anti-Personnel, Impunity
c.3/13/25
Detailed To:
Nate Cavanaugh detailed from GSA to NEH
GSA? Detailed To: NEH Nate Cavanaugh c.3/13/25
Source: The Intercept Media, Inc. v. United States Department of Government Efficiency, doc 1 Court Document, 3/24/25
Note: Verified via court filing
3/14/25
Disruption:
DOGE members Kenneth Jackson, Jacob Altik and Nate Cavanaugh show up at USIP building with 2 other people who claim to be FBI agents. They are refused entry. The DOGE delegation attempts to present a document firing the USIP president.
Person: Jacob Altik, Kenneth Jackson, Nate Cavanaugh
Source: DOGE plays hardball in U.S. Institute of Peace takeover The Washington Post, 3/18/25
Agency: USIP
DOGE Project: Impunity
3/17/25
Disruption:
DOGE members Kenneth Jackson, Jacob Altik and Nate Cavanaugh remove staff and president of the USIP with the help of Office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, the FBI and D.C. police. Kenneth Jackson is named Acting President.
Person: Jacob Altik, Kenneth Jackson, Nate Cavanaugh
Source: USIP v. Jackson, doc 1-2 Court Document, 3/18/25
Source: DOGE plays hardball in U.S. Institute of Peace takeover The Washington Post, 3/18/25
Agency: USIP
DOGE Project: Elimination
3/20/25
Identification:
Wired Magazine list DOGE staff stationed within GSA, all of whom were listed on GSA payroll on March 20, the same day Stephen Ehikian claimed there were no DOGE staff in the agency.
3/22/25?
Detailed To:
Nate Cavanaugh detailed from GSA to MCC
GSA? Detailed To: MCC Nate Cavanaugh 3/22/25?
Source: DOGE has tried to embed beyond the executive branch. Some targets have pushed back National Public Radio, 5/20/25
Note: Linked to MCC by NPR, start date guessed from disruption there
3/25/25
Appointed:
Nate Cavanaugh starts as Acting President at USIP.
Appointed: Nate Cavanaugh 3/25/25-7/25/25
Position Title: Acting President
Source: USIP v. Jackson, doc 14-1 Court Document, 3/31/25
Source: Major MAGA Media Figure to Take Top Position at One of DOGE’s Biggest Targets The Daily Signal, 7/25/25
Note: After the rest of board was ousted, Nate was named President of the agency by Marco Rubio and Pete Hegseth. Voided by court order on 2025-05-19 but restored by appeals court on 2025-06-27. Replaced by Darren Beattie on 7/25
Disruption:
The remaining board of the USIP – Marco Rubio and Mike Hegseth – terminate Kenneth Jackson as the acting president of the USIP and appoint Nate Cavanaugh to the position. The resolution also authorizes Nate Cavanaugh to dispose of the building belonging to the USIP.
Person: Kenneth Jackson, Marco Rubio, Nate Cavanaugh
Source: USIP v. Jackson, doc 14-1 Court Document, 3/31/25
Agency: USIP
DOGE Project: Elimination
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
c.3/30/25
Disruption:
Nate Cavanaugh and Justin Fox gain access to the system at NEH for approving and administering grants. Justin Fox proceeds to look for grant descriptions containing words like “black,” “LGBTQ,” “Jew,” “Native,” and “immigrant” to eliminate for promoting DEI. He organized grants into a “Craziest Grants” and “Other Bad Grants” list, presumably for DOGE or the administration to use for promotional purposes. He also started asking ChatGPT to answer yes or no if individual grants “relate at all to DEI” and using that to mark grants for deletion without any further review.
Question: Fuzz: date only given as a few days prior to termination
Person: Justin Fox, Nate Cavanaugh
Source: The Authors Guild/American Council of Learned Societies v. National Endowment for the Humanities, doc 118-1 Court Document, 2/13/26
Agency: NEH
DOGE Project: Spending
3/31/25
Detailed To:
Nate Cavanaugh detailed from GSA to IMLS
GSA? Detailed To: IMLS Nate Cavanaugh 3/31/25
Source: Bluesky post by Marisa Kabas Bluesky, 3/31/25
Note: Based on initial reports
System Access:
DOGE gains admin access to IMLS systems for monitoring its grants and sending emails. The person is not named, but this is likely Nate Cavanaugh.
Person: Nate Cavanaugh
Source: DOGE Has Decimated the Institute of Museum and Library Services ArtNet News, 3/31/25
Agency: IMLS
DOGE Project: Spending
Disruption:
Justin Fox sends a letter to the acting head of the NEH, Michael McDonald, expressing frustration that the agency is not moving quickly enough to terminate grants. In his letter, he writes “We’re getting pressure from the top on this and we’d prefer that you remain on our side but let us know if you’re no longer interested.”
Person: Justin Fox, Nate Cavanaugh
Source: When DOGE Unleashed ChatGPT on the Humanities The New York Times, 3/07/26
Agency: NEH
DOGE Project: Elimination, Spending
Disruption:
DOGE runs a process to send out emails cancelling all 900 open awards from IMLS to museums across the country.
Person: Nate Cavanaugh
Source: DOGE Has Decimated the Institute of Museum and Library Services ArtNet News, 3/31/25
Agency: IMLS
DOGE Project: Spending
Disruption:
DOGE wrecker Nate Cavanaugh returns to the IMLS and notifies the entire staff of the agency that they are being put on administrative leave up to 90 days effective immediately.
Person: Nate Cavanaugh
Source: State of Rhode Island v. Trump, doc 1-1 Court Document, 4/04/25
Agency: IMLS
DOGE Project: Elimination
4/01/25
Disruption:
NEH staff members are informed that DOGE is seeking a 70-80% reduction in staff and a cancellation of any grants made under the Biden administration that were not already fully disbursed.
Disruption:
In a response to Justin Fox asking about cuts, NEH Chairman Michael McDonald advocates for not cutting some proposed grants, but notes: “But you have also told us that in addition to canceling projects because they may promote DEI ideology, the DOGE Team also wishes to cancel funding to assist deficit reduction. Either way, as you’ve made clear, it’s your decision on whether to discontinue funding any of the projects on this list.”
Person: Justin Fox, Nate Cavanaugh
Source: When DOGE Unleashed ChatGPT on the Humanities The New York Times, 3/07/26
Agency: NEH
DOGE Project: Spending
4/02/25
Disruption:
Approximately 1500 grantees receive grant cancellation emails sent from a nonstandard email address and bypassing the normal grant review process. The domain for the email address Grant_Notifications@nehemail.onmicrosoft.com suggests it was sent from a global admin account for Microsoft Entra, an access-control system used at the agency. The Acting Director of the NEH seems unaware of the messages. The content of the message cites an incorrect executive order as its justification, suggesting it was copied from an earlier email that was sent to IAF and USADF grantees after their DOGE takeover.
4/03/25
Disruption:
145 NEH staff members (approximately 80% of workforce) are abruptly placed on administrative leave and locked out of system access. The remaining employees are pressured by Nate Cavanaugh and Justin Fox to formally conduct a Reduction-in-Force (RIF) as quickly as possible.
4/04/25
Offboarding:
Nate Cavanaugh ends detailed position at IAF
GSA Detailed To: IAF Nate Cavanaugh 2/28/25-4/04/25
Source: Aviel v. Gor, doc 35-2 Court Document, 4/18/25
Note: agency contact was earlier, but assuming MOU signed when Marocco seized power
Legal:
Sara Aviel discovers that a team@iaf.gov created for the use of Ethan Shaotran and Nate Cavanaugh had deactivated the admin access for the remaining IAF employee the day before Aviel’s return by orders of a court as President of the agency.
Person: Ethan Shaotran, Nate Cavanaugh
Source: Aviel v. Gor, doc 35-2 Court Document, 4/18/25
Agency: IAF
DOGE Project: Anti-Personnel
c.4/07/25
Sighting:
Nate Cavanaugh and Justin Fox begin holding a series of meetings with MCC leadership. Following the DOGE pattern for small independent agencies, this process eventually culminates in termination of all grants and mass layoffs.
Question: Fuzz: exact date not given, just in “last two weeks”
Person: Justin Fox, Nate Cavanaugh
Source: DOGE is shutting down foreign aid agency Millennium Challenge Corporation Politico, 4/23/25
Agency: MCC
DOGE Project: Elimination, Spending
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.
c.4/09/25
Detailed To:
Nate Cavanaugh detailed from GSA to Commerce
GSA Detailed To: Commerce Nate Cavanaugh c.4/09/25
Source: Letter from the Senate Commerce Committee to Keith Sonderling about MBDA The Senate Commerce Committee, 4/30/25
Note: Senate Democrats note that Cavanaugh has a commerce email address. Guessing date is around detail to MBDA.
Detailed To:
Nate Cavanaugh detailed from GSA to MBDA
GSA Detailed To: MBDA Nate Cavanaugh c.4/09/25
Source: State of Rhode Island v. Trump, doc 35-4 Court Document, 4/11/25
Note: inferred from disruptions at MBDA starting
Disruption:
The remaining 5 employees of the MBDA are transferred out of the agency.
Question: Fuzz: Date is unspecified
Person: Keith Sonderling, Nate Cavanaugh
Source: State of Rhode Island v. Trump, doc 35-4 Court Document, 4/11/25
Agency: MBDA
DOGE Project: Elimination
4/09/25
Disruption:
All but 5 employees are sent expedited 30-day termination notices and placed on immediate administrative leave by DOGE staff.
Person: Keith Sonderling, Nate Cavanaugh
Source: State of Rhode Island v. Trump, doc 35-4 Court Document, 4/11/25
Agency: MBDA
DOGE Project: Elimination
4/16/25
Detailed To:
Nate Cavanaugh detailed from GSA to AmeriCorps
Detailed To:
Nate Cavanaugh detailed from GSA to NLRB
Sighting:
Justin Fox and Nate Cavanaugh are detailed from the GSA to work at the NLRB over the next few months. They meet with the Chairman, Acting Senior Counsel and other senior board members. The DOGE staff requested access to 7 HR systems at NLRB.
4/17/25
Disruption:
According to a sworn declaration by an employee of MBDA, Nate Cavanaugh sends emails terminating MBDA grants under the authority of Keith Sonderling, who is the acting undersecretary of the MBDA
Person: Keith Sonderling, Nate Cavanaugh
Source: State of Rhode Island v. Trump, doc 45-1 Court Document, 4/17/25
Agency: MBDA
DOGE Project: Spending
4/22/25
Report:
Staff at the Millennium Challenge Corporation are informed that DOGE has directed the termination of all grants and the reduction of the staff from 320 to a few dozen.
Person: Justin Fox, Nate Cavanaugh
Source: DOGE dismantling foreign aid agency started by George W. Bush National Public Radio, 4/24/25
Agency: MCC
DOGE Project: Elimination, Spending
4/25/25
:
Nate Cavanaugh is granted elevated access to FPPS at NLRB.
System Access: FPPS: Federal Personnel Payroll System
: admin, 4/25/25-7/25/25 Nate Cavanaugh
Note: A shared service which processes payrolls for Interior, but also DOJ, Treasury, DHS, the Air Force, Nuclear Regulatory Commission and other agencies. Covers about half of federal personnel.
DOGE Project: Anti-Personnel
4/28/25
Detailed To:
Nate Cavanaugh detailed from GSA to DFC
GSA? Detailed To: DFC Nate Cavanaugh 4/28/25
Source: DOGE targets US foreign aid agency created under first Trump administration Politico, 4/28/25
Note: Spotted by media
Sighting:
A team of 4 DOGE personnel – Nate Cavanaugh, Jonathan Mendelson, Ethan Shaotran and Marshall Wood – arrive at the headquarters of the US International Development Finance Corporation
4/29/25
Interagency Coordination:
Nate Cavanaugh sends an email to the two remaining members of the CPB board requesting a meeting. He describes a DOGE team at GSA and cc’s several other members of DOGE
Person: Jonathan Mendelson, Justin Aimonetti, Justin Fox, Nate Cavanaugh
Source: CPB v. Trump, doc 12-1 Court Document, 5/09/25
Agency: CPB, DOGE, GSA
4/30/25
Oversight:
Democratic members of the US Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation send a letter to Keith Sonderling requesting details on his appointment as acting undersecretary of the MBDA and other information about DOGE’s takeover and destruction of the agency.
5/01/25
Disruption:
Appearing on an interview with DOGE by Fox host Jesse Watters in his capacity as USIP President, Nate Cavanaugh repeats the claim that USIP was directly funding the Taliban through its grant to Mohammad Halimi. He makes similar distorted claims about other USIP spending.
Person: Nate Cavanaugh
Source: Getting "DOGEd" Pro Publica, 4/22/25
Agency: USIP
5/13/25
Sighting:
Justin Fox emails GAO (cc’ing Nate Cavanaugh) to schedule a call to get a DOGE team assigned to the GAO. This is despite the GAO being located in the legislative branch and thus not answerable to the President.
Identification:
In an overview of how DOGE has tried to assign teams outside of the executive branch, NPR lists six DOGE staffers at GSA who are involved with those efforts.
5/14/25
Detailed To:
Nate Cavanaugh detailed from GSA to EXIM
GSA? Detailed To: EXIM Nate Cavanaugh 5/14/25
Source: Bluesky post by Marisa Kabas The Handbasket, 5/14/25
Note: Reported by media
Sighting:
Nate Cavanaugh and Donald Park reportedly are assigned email addresses and reserved office space at the Export-Import Bank of the US.
Person: Donald Park, Nate Cavanaugh
Source: Bluesky post by Marisa Kabas The Handbasket, 5/14/25
Agency: EXIM
5/16/25
Sighting:
Staff at the MSPB receive an email informing them that Nate Cavanaugh will be onboarded on May 21 as a detailee “from DOGE” and that he is expected to spend several weeks reviewing contracts and spending. He will be working remotely.
Person: Nate Cavanaugh
Source: Bluesky post by Marisa Kabas The Handbasket, 5/16/25
Agency: MSPB
DOGE Project: Spending
5/19/25
Legal:
The judge presiding over the USIP’s lawsuit against the Trump administration rules that the firing of the agency’s board was illegal, rendering all subsequent actions taken by Nate Cavanaugh as President null and void.
5/21/25
Detailed To:
Nate Cavanaugh detailed from GSA to MSPB
GSA? Detailed To: MSPB Nate Cavanaugh 5/21/25
Source: Bluesky post by Marisa Kabas The Handbasket, 5/16/25
Note: Email cited mentioned he was from DOGE, but assuming detail from GSA
6/27/25
Legal:
A federal appeals court issues a stay on a lower-court ruling that blocked DOGE from taking over the USIP. In their ruling, the appeals panel noted that President Trump would face “irreparable harm from not being able to fully exercise his executive powers,” should the injunction be allowed to stand. This restores Nate Cavanaugh as President of the USIP.
c.7/01/25
Detailed To:
Nate Cavanaugh detailed from GSA to DHS
7/12/25
Disruption:
Almost all USIP staff receive an email on Saturday telling them they are terminated effective immediately.
7/21/25
Identification:
Multiple DOGE staff are listed in the invite for a new meeting for political appointees at the agency which will be held once every two weeks.
Question: Fuzz: Jeremy Lewin is a Deputy Undersecretary at State, but still a GSA employee?
Person: Alexander Simonpour, Dave Malcher, Ethan Shaotran, Frank Schuler, Jeremy Lewin, Justin Fox, Luke Farritor, Marshall Wood, Nate Cavanaugh
Source: State Department deputy Michael Rigas tapped as acting GSA head NextGov, 7/21/25
Agency: GSA
7/25/25
Access Revoked:
Nate Cavanaugh has elevated access revoked for 2 systems at NLRB.
System Access: FPPS: Federal Personnel Payroll System
: admin, 4/25/25-7/25/25 Nate Cavanaugh
Note: A shared service which processes payrolls for Interior, but also DOJ, Treasury, DHS, the Air Force, Nuclear Regulatory Commission and other agencies. Covers about half of federal personnel.
DOGE Project: Anti-Personnel
System Access: eOPF
: admin, 4/25/26-7/25/25 Nate Cavanaugh
Note: An system for government employees to access their personnel files electronically. These are updated when staff receive changes in salary or duty station or title, or receive performance reviews.
DOGE Project: Anti-Personnel
Offboarding:
Nate Cavanaugh leaves role as Acting President at USIP
Appointed: Nate Cavanaugh 3/25/25-7/25/25
Position Title: Acting President
Source: USIP v. Jackson, doc 14-1 Court Document, 3/31/25
Source: Major MAGA Media Figure to Take Top Position at One of DOGE’s Biggest Targets The Daily Signal, 7/25/25
Note: After the rest of board was ousted, Nate was named President of the agency by Marco Rubio and Pete Hegseth. Voided by court order on 2025-05-19 but restored by appeals court on 2025-06-27. Replaced by Darren Beattie on 7/25
Offboarding:
Nate Cavanaugh ends detailed position at NLRB
8/06/25
Offboarding:
Nate Cavanaugh leaves role at GSA (exits govt. service)
Appointed: Nate Cavanaugh c.1/22/25-8/06/25
Salary: $120,509
Source: Data Reveals Details About DOGE, Government Hiring in 2025 Bloomberg, 1/09/26
Source: The Authors Guild/American Council of Learned Societies v. National Endowment for the Humanities, doc 248-1 Court Document, 3/06/26
Source: Some DOGE Staffers Are Drawing Six-Figure Government Salaries Wired Magazine, 3/04/25
Note: Testifies started working in early January, but formally a few days after inauguration
Offboarding:
Nate Cavanaugh ends detailed position at DHS (exits govt. service)
Offboarding:
Nate Cavanaugh leaves role at ICE (exits govt. service)
: Nate Cavanaugh c.7/01/25-8/06/25
Source: The Authors Guild/American Council of Learned Societies v. National Endowment for the Humanities, doc 248-1 Court Document, 3/06/26
Note: Says he was working on a voluntary service for self-deportation for immigrants
1/23/26
Legal:
Nate Cavanaugh testifies in a deposition related to American Council of Learned Societies v. NEH
Person: Nate Cavanaugh
Source: Major Update in our NEH Lawsuit American Historical Association, 3/06/26
Agency: NEH
2/13/26
Legal:
Ruling in American Council of Learned Societies/Authors Guild v. NEH, Judge Colleen McMahon rejects an argument by the government that a spreadsheet listing all of the DOGE staff and their positions and detailing arrangement must remain sealed for their personal safety. She orders them and a series of text messages made by DOGE staffers Nate Cavanaugh and Justin Fox must be entered into the record by February 17th.
4/25/26
:
Nate Cavanaugh is granted elevated access to eOPF at NLRB.
System Access: eOPF
: admin, 4/25/26-7/25/25 Nate Cavanaugh
Note: An system for government employees to access their personnel files electronically. These are updated when staff receive changes in salary or duty station or title, or receive performance reviews.
DOGE Project: Anti-Personnel