The former DOGE engineer is now back in government

At the VA, Lavignia tried to use an artificial intelligence tool to write code for the agency’s systems, suggesting the agency move away from paper forms entirely. He built a tool to “visualize” data on agency contracts to identify those that could be cut.

He was fired from his role at the VA in May after speaking to a reporter about his work at DOGE. Lavingia told WIRED at the time that he really believed in the role of technology to try and improve government services, but he quickly became frustrated with DOGE’s lack of organization and transparency, noting that Steve Davis, Musk’s right-hand man and CEO of the Boring Company, seemed to be the only person communicating with DOGE teams in a diverse group.

Through his work at the VA, Lavingia found that the DOGE’s narrative of government as inefficient and government workers inefficient is largely false, noting that many of the problems are not due to a lack of technical expertise, but to complex legal and policy requirements.

“The government is very efficient,” he said. “It can move faster.”

While the strike force that characterized DOGE’s early months has largely subsided, many DOGE operatives remain in government, often with full-time jobs at federal agencies.

Lavingia said he anticipates working for the government for the next 10 years, and his work will focus on modernizing software for taxpayers. If it doesn’t work out, he said, he might look back and say, “I should have made more money doing AI work.”