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Defence Technology
Business Honor
16 April, 2025
Defense Digital Service staff resigns over restrictions, halting the Pentagon's agile tech modernization mission.
A current employee of the Pentagon's technology at the Defense Digital Service (DDS) has revealed to The Hill on Tuesday that almost all of the staff will be leaving by the beginning of May. Politico was the first to report on the huge exit which means that the service will essentially shut down in less than a month.
Director Jennifer Hay is one of 12 officials of the agency who have requested the Trump administration's deferred resignation option and want to depart by May 1. During that period, two additional employees will also be departing.
A current member of the office told The Hill that, while the Defense Digital Service (DDS) was enthusiastic about supporting the Department of Defense’s efforts to enhance efficiency and lead software modernization initiatives, the administration was not making effective use of the team. Hiring freezes, the rollback of remote work policies and travel restrictions had rendered DDS effectively non-mission capable. As a result, the majority of the team chose to resign.
The DDS was established in 2015 with the goal of assisting the Pentagon in promptly resolving technological issues. The office's tiny group of engineers and data specialists was designed to provide Silicon Valley-style solutions to the Defense Department, a massive federal institution that has a long history of slow innovation.
Among its initiatives were the development of drone-detection technology, the identification and improvement of Defense Department cyber vulnerabilities, and the reform of digital services that give military families access to benefits.
However, Politico noted that workers at the office chose to quit before they were essentially evicted due to pressure from the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which is headed by billionaire Elon Musk.