Judge Allows Release of Deposition Videos of Former DOGE Staffers

Ruling cites public interest in transparency over privacy concerns of ex-officials

Mar. 24, 2026 at 4:20am

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A federal judge has ruled that deposition videos of two former Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) staffers can be released to the public, despite the staffers facing threats. The judge said the public interest in transparency around the conduct of public officials outweighs the risk of 'embarrassment and reputational harm' to the former staffers.

Why it matters

The case highlights the tension between public accountability and privacy concerns for government officials. The judge's decision affirms the principle that the public has a right to access information about the actions of public servants, even if it may be embarrassing or damaging to their reputations.

The details

The deposition videos show former DOGE staffers Justin Fox and Nate Cavanaugh discussing their efforts to cut more than $100 million in humanities grants as part of the Trump administration's efforts to reduce the size of the federal government. In the videos, the staffers acknowledge using keywords related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and the AI chatbot ChatGPT to identify grants to eliminate, despite the impact on people's livelihoods.

  • On March 23, 2026, a federal judge ruled to allow the release of the deposition videos.
  • The videos were initially released as part of an ongoing civil lawsuit related to DOGE's funding cuts.

The players

Colleen McMahon

A U.S. District Judge who ruled to allow the release of the deposition videos.

Justin Fox

A former DOGE staffer who was questioned about his role in cutting humanities grants.

Nate Cavanaugh

A former DOGE staffer who was questioned about his role in cutting humanities grants.

Joy Connolly

The president of the American Council of Learned Societies, one of the nonprofits that released the videos.

Donald Trump

The former President of the United States whose efforts to trim the size of the federal government led to the funding cuts at DOGE.

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What’s next

The judge's ruling allows the continued dissemination of the deposition videos, which have already been widely shared online. The case is part of an ongoing civil lawsuit related to the funding cuts carried out by DOGE during the Trump administration.

The takeaway

This case underscores the importance of government transparency and accountability, even when it may be embarrassing or damaging to the reputations of public officials. The judge's decision affirms that the public's right to know about the actions of their elected representatives outweighs individual privacy concerns in this context.