Tarak Makecha
Tech Industry Links: Tesla, Valor
Exited govt: 7/XX/25 (self-reported)
Tarak Makecha is the former head of stategic planning for Tesla Energy. Although he describes himself as a software engineer, he comes from a backgroun in finance. In that capacity, he has been reviewing and cancelling grants for the DOJ and FBI, but recent sources have also linked him to the US Agency for Global Media and grant cancellations there. His LinkedIn reports that he left working for DOGE in July and is now a vice president at Valor Equity Partners, the investment firm run by Antonio Gracias and the employer of Jon Koval and Payton Rehling. I’m sure that’s just a coincidence.
Positions
Appointed:
1/XX/25 $167,603 «Identified in FOIA as starting at State Dept.»
Offboarding:
Left govt 7/XX/25 (self-reported)
Appointed:
1/XX/25 $167,603 «Identified in FOIA as starting at State Dept.»
Offboarding:
Left govt 7/XX/25 (self-reported)
| Source: | Data Reveals Details About DOGE, Government Hiring in 2025 Bloomberg, 1/09/26 |
Appointed:
2/28/25-7/XX/25 Senior Advisor
Offboarding:
Left govt 7/XX/25 (self-reported)
Appointed:
2/28/25-7/XX/25 Senior Advisor
Offboarding:
Left govt 7/XX/25 (self-reported)
| Source: | LinkedIn profile for Tarak Makecha LinkedIn, |
| Source: | Inside the Shadowy Crew Leading the Government’s HR Office Project on Government Oversight, 5/14/25 |
Detailed To:
c.3/01/25 likely detailed from OPM «Date unknown, but assuming with Kliger who was at USAGM in early March»
Detailed To:
c.3/01/25 likely detailed from OPM «Date unknown, but assuming with Kliger who was at USAGM in early March»
| Source: | Elon Musk’s Demolition Crew Pro Publica Projects, |
Detailed To:
Detailed To:
| Source: | FOIA response from the FCC Frequency Forward, 8/25/25 |
| Source: | DOGE Installs a Former Tesla Employee at the FBI The Intercept, 4/18/25 |
Events
1/XX/25
Appointed:
Tarak Makecha starts at State.
Appointed:
Tarak Makecha starts at State.
| Appointed: | Tarak Makecha 1/XX/25 |
| Salary: | $167,603 |
| Source: | Data Reveals Details About DOGE, Government Hiring in 2025 Bloomberg, 1/09/26 |
| Note: | Identified in FOIA as starting at State Dept. |
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 |
2/28/25
Appointed:
Tarak Makecha starts as Senior Advisor at OPM.
Appointed:
Tarak Makecha starts as Senior Advisor at OPM.
| Appointed: | Tarak Makecha 2/28/25-7/XX/25 |
| Position Title: | Senior Advisor |
| Source: | LinkedIn profile for Tarak Makecha LinkedIn, |
| Source: | Inside the Shadowy Crew Leading the Government’s HR Office Project on Government Oversight, 5/14/25 |
c.3/01/25
Detailed To:
Detailed To:
| OPM? Detailed To: USAGM Tarak Makecha c.3/01/25 | |
| Source: | Elon Musk’s Demolition Crew Pro Publica Projects, |
| Note: | Date unknown, but assuming with Kliger who was at USAGM in early March |
3/12/25
Interagency Coordination:
Steve Davis sends an email to the FCC general counsel Adam Candeub introducing him to Tarak Makecha (whom he identifies as the Biz Lead) and Jordan Wick (software engineer). He follows up with Tarak and suggests chatting with him on his personal phone number (instead of an official government phone number).
Interagency Coordination:
Steve Davis sends an email to the FCC general counsel Adam Candeub introducing him to Tarak Makecha (whom he identifies as the Biz Lead) and Jordan Wick (software engineer). He follows up with Tarak and suggests chatting with him on his personal phone number (instead of an official government phone number).
| Person: | Jordan Wick, Steve Davis, Tarak Makecha |
| Source: | FCC FOIA Production 2 for Frequency Forward Document Cloud, 12/16/25 |
| Agency: | DOGE, FCC |
3/13/25
Interagency Coordination:
Tarak Makecha, Joshua Fox, and Jacob Altik communicate with FCC staff about detailing arrangements from the OPM to the FCC (presumably for Tarak and Jacob)
Interagency Coordination:
Tarak Makecha, Joshua Fox, and Jacob Altik communicate with FCC staff about detailing arrangements from the OPM to the FCC (presumably for Tarak and Jacob)
| Person: | Jacob Altik, Joshua Fox, Tarak Makecha |
| Source: | FCC FOIA Production 2 for Frequency Forward Document Cloud, 12/16/25 |
| Agency: | DOGE, FCC |
3/18/25
Detailed To:
Detailed To:
| OPM Detailed To: FCC Tarak Makecha 3/18/25 | |
| Source: | FOIA response from the FCC Frequency Forward, 8/25/25 |
| Note: | listed self as detailing from OPM |
c.3/30/25
Detailed To:
Detailed To:
| OPM Detailed To: FBI Tarak Makecha c.3/30/25-7/XX/25 | |
| Position Title: | Senior Advisor, Human Resources |
| Source: | DOGE Installs a Former Tesla Employee at the FBI The Intercept, 4/18/25 |
4/03/25
Disruption:
Tarak Makecha escalates his demands at 6:25pm that the Acacia contracts must be terminated immediately despite it being after business hours and there not being an actual emergency.
Disruption:
Tarak Makecha escalates his demands at 6:25pm that the Acacia contracts must be terminated immediately despite it being after business hours and there not being an actual emergency.
| Person: | Tarak Makecha |
| Source: | On DOGE, Directives, and DOJ Lawfare Media, 4/27/25 |
| Agency: | DOJ |
| DOGE Project: | Anti-DEI, Spending |
Disruption:
Tarak Makecha finds a DOJ Contracting Officer after hours at 7:25pm to send the termination despite agency concerns that it violates the terms of a court order to not provide 3 days notice for termination.
Disruption:
Tarak Makecha finds a DOJ Contracting Officer after hours at 7:25pm to send the termination despite agency concerns that it violates the terms of a court order to not provide 3 days notice for termination.
| Person: | Tarak Makecha |
| Source: | On DOGE, Directives, and DOJ Lawfare Media, 4/27/25 |
| Agency: | DOJ |
Interagency Coordination:
Tarak Makecha, a DOGE representative at DOJ is forwarded a list at 6pm of DOJ contracts to terminate for the Acacia Center, a nonprofit in DOGE’s crosshairs that day and a plaintiff in a lawsuit against the DOJ. He coordinates with Josh Gruenbaum at the GSA, who is leading a multi-agency effort to eliminate grants.
Interagency Coordination:
Tarak Makecha, a DOGE representative at DOJ is forwarded a list at 6pm of DOJ contracts to terminate for the Acacia Center, a nonprofit in DOGE’s crosshairs that day and a plaintiff in a lawsuit against the DOJ. He coordinates with Josh Gruenbaum at the GSA, who is leading a multi-agency effort to eliminate grants.
| Person: | Josh Gruenbaum, Tarak Makecha |
| Source: | On DOGE, Directives, and DOJ Lawfare Media, 4/27/25 |
| Agency: | DOJ, GSA |
| DOGE Project: | Anti-DEI, Spending |
4/04/25
Sighting:
Tarak Makecha, Jordan Wick and Jacob Altik are listed in the public directory of FCC staff and listed as associated with the Office of the Chairman at the FCC.
Sighting:
Tarak Makecha, Jordan Wick and Jacob Altik are listed in the public directory of FCC staff and listed as associated with the Office of the Chairman at the FCC.
| Person: | Jacob Altik, Jordan Wick, Tarak Makecha |
| Source: | DOGE staffers are listed in the FCC directory The Verge, 4/04/25 |
| Agency: | FCC |
4/08/25
Interagency Coordination:
Jacob Altik and Ashley Boizelle meet in the FCC headquarters with the Chief of Staff Greg Watson to discuss the FCC’s progress on removing regulations.
Interagency Coordination:
Jacob Altik and Ashley Boizelle meet in the FCC headquarters with the Chief of Staff Greg Watson to discuss the FCC’s progress on removing regulations.
| Person: | Ashley Boizelle, Jacob Altik, Jordan Wick, Tarak Makecha |
| Source: | FCC FOIA Production 2 for Frequency Forward Document Cloud, 12/16/25 |
| Agency: | DOGE, FCC |
| DOGE Project: | Deregulation |
7/XX/25
Offboarding:
Offboarding:
| Appointed: | Tarak Makecha 2/28/25-7/XX/25 |
| Position Title: | Senior Advisor |
| Source: | LinkedIn profile for Tarak Makecha LinkedIn, |
| Source: | Inside the Shadowy Crew Leading the Government’s HR Office Project on Government Oversight, 5/14/25 |
Offboarding:
Offboarding:
| OPM Detailed To: FBI Tarak Makecha c.3/30/25-7/XX/25 | |
| Position Title: | Senior Advisor, Human Resources |
| Source: | DOGE Installs a Former Tesla Employee at the FBI The Intercept, 4/18/25 |
Open Questions
- Why does a FOIA of start dates and positions list Tarak starting at State in January 2025?