Edward Koristin, a 19-year-old employee of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), known by the nickname ‘Big Balls’, left the U.S. federal service this week. His resignation came a month after Elon Musk stepped down as head of DOGE, known as the ‘Department of Efficiency’, which focused on dismantling bureaucracy within federal structures.
This is reported by Finway
Reasons for Resignation and Previous Activities
A White House official confirmed Koristin’s resignation but did not specify the reasons behind the decision. Despite his young age and lack of significant experience, Koristin managed to hold positions in key agencies, including the Social Security Administration and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The DOGE Department was established at the initiative of Elon Musk and Donald Trump and conducted recruitment for young specialists in technology who were given a radical mandate to implement the ‘optimization’ of the government apparatus. Earlier, media reports indicated that before working in government, Koristin briefly worked at Neuralink and was involved in chats related to hacking activities. It is known that his previous internship ended after a potential information leak, and he may have provided technical assistance to cybercriminals.
Musk’s Influence and Future Changes in DOGE
Koristin gained public attention in early 2024 after a Wired investigation revealed his identity and involvement with DOGE. Elon Musk openly supported Koristin, inviting him on Fox News and sharing jokes using his nickname.
“After Musk’s departure, the department’s structure faced personnel losses. In addition to Koristin, Musk’s key assistant Steve Davis and healthcare reform curator Brad Smith have already left the project. However, many DOGE employees continue to work in federal agencies, cutting costs and laying off staff, the authors of the piece emphasized.”
Currently, Russell Vought continues Musk’s mission in the White House—an ideologue of the far-right manifesto Project 2025, who has strengthened his influence after Musk’s resignation and oversees the integration of DOGE principles into U.S. governance.
Previously, Elon Musk stated that DOGE has no relation to the meme coin of the same name.