The White House confirmed on Tuesday (Feb 26) that Amy Gleason is serving as the acting administrator for the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). 

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This comes after US President Donald Trump's administration has been facing pressure to disclose the identity of the official formally in charge of DOGE, particularly after court filings clarified that billionaire Elon Musk, whom Trump previously claimed was overseeing the department, had no direct authority over the cost-cutting initiative.

A White House official said that Gleason, a former US Digital Service official, will now lead the department that Trump established via executive order after taking office in January. 

Also read: Over 20 civil service employees resigned from Trump’s DOGE in protest

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Musk is an employee of the “White House Office” and serves as senior adviser to the president, according to Joshua Fisher, director of the White House Office of Administration. 

This announcement came after more than 20 members of the former US Digital service, the agency that was renamed the US DOGE service, resigned on Tuesday and gave a letter criticising Musk for working to "dismantle critical public services". 

Also read: ‘I love it’: Trump backs idea of sending some savings from DOGE back to US citizens

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Who is Amy Gleason?

Amy Gleason, a former US Digital Service official, is a low-profile executive, who has expertise in healthcare technology. 

The 53-year-old also worked in the first Trump administration. 

She served in the United States Digital Service from 2018 to 2021, according to her LinkedIn profile. 

During that tenure, she worked with the White House on the federal response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Later, she returned to the agency in January after Trump took office. 

Also read: ‘They dress in T-shirts’: Trump mocks ‘genius’ DOGE staffers who dress ‘worse than Elon Musk’

As she has expertise in healthcare, she served as the vice president for research at the Cure JM Foundation from 2014 to 2018. 

Gleason also co-founded and served as an executive of the Florida-based telemedicine startup Care Sync. 

She has also advocated for the cure of juvenile myositis, a rare autoimmune illness that causes muscle weakness and a rash in children. Her adult daughter also has this disease. 

Currently, she is responsible for driving the DOGE agenda of simplifying government operations through personnel reductions, contract terminations, and budgetary reductions. 

Also read: Musk warns federal workers to return to office or be put on administrative leave

(With inputs from agencies)