IKEA beds and dressers? A look inside the 'exceedingly odd' DOGE office setup
The arrangements at GSA provide insight into the lifestyle of DOGE workers.
TroibNews 
As DOGE staffers dismantle the federal workforce, they are adhering to Elon Musk's philosophy of moving fast and breaking things. However, even DOGE employees need to slow down for sleep—something they are increasingly doing within a federal office building, a setup that ethics experts claim may violate long-standing agency rules.
Workers at the General Services Administration's prominent federal office building in downtown Washington have created at least four separate sleeping rooms on the 6th floor, which are equipped with IKEA beds, lamps, and dressers, according to two career GSA employees.
The sleeping rooms are located alongside conference rooms and can only be accessed with high-security clearances, as reported by the anonymous workers who were not permitted to speak publicly.
Additionally, the agency is contemplating spending approximately $25,000 to install a washer and dryer on the 6th floor, based on a February 25 invoice obtained by PMG. There is also a children’s play area adorned with stuffed animals and toys, as shown in a photo shared with PMG.
“People are definitely … sleeping there,” said one GSA staffer.
It remains uncertain how frequently these rooms are utilized or for what duration.
Details about the sleeping arrangements at GSA—a federal building on 18th and F Street NW that houses over 1,000 staffers—provide insight into the peculiar lifestyle that DOGE workers are developing while they pursue staff cuts and budget reductions throughout the federal government.
Musk has openly endorsed the idea of sleeping and even residing at work. At an investment conference in New York last year, the tech billionaire disclosed that Tesla factories in California and Nevada served as his “primary residences” for three years. He noted that he would crash on couches and beneath his desk on the factory floor to inspire employees. Moreover, while at the helm of X, formerly Twitter, employees were allowed to sleep in the company’s offices.
Currently, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX—who is also a prominent advisor to Trump—is reportedly resettling at work again, this time at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, mere steps away from the White House.
A GSA spokesperson remarked that “government employees are working incredibly hard and long hours to help reduce the federal deficit and ensure an effective government.”
“Any purchases the agency has made followed all appropriate laws and regulations,” the spokesperson noted. “In accordance with the Sleeping in Federal Buildings bulletin, specific instances of an employee sleeping at the 1800F building was expressly authorized by an agency official.”
Ethics experts highlight that these arrangements are unclear and unprecedented in Washington, raising concerns about DOGE’s intentions. A bulletin released by GSA in 2019 states that sleeping in agency offices is prohibited "except when expressly authorized by an agency official."
Donald Sherman, executive director and chief counsel at Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a watchdog organization, pointed out that this guidance only allows for staff to sleep in a federal building if it is “directed by a supervisor,” under necessity, during emergencies, or in situations of “imminent danger to human life or property, where persons are directed to shelter-in-place.”
“This administration is firing career workers, federal employees, eviscerating civil service protections for government employees, but is also so desperate for work that it is allowing other government employees to, or directing other government employees, to sleep at work," he stated. "That doesn't make sense."
Jeff Nesbit, who has served as a political and career federal staffer under both Republican and Democratic administrations, expressed bewilderment at the situation.
“It's exceedingly odd,” Nesbit stated. “I've run the public affairs offices of five different Cabinet departments or agencies under four different presidents, two Republicans and two Democrats. I have never heard of any such thing. I can't even imagine what the purpose is, other than to terrorize the civilian workforce."
The circumstances have left many federal employees and some members of Congress feeling confused and alarmed.
Democratic Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, a member of the House Oversight Committee, has been advocating for more transparency after a concerned constituent alerted him last month during a town hall in Virginia about reports of DOGE staffers sleeping in federal buildings, although these claims have not been substantiated.
“One of Musk's top lieutenants and his wife and young child have shacked up on the 6th floor of our agency and they are living there," said the attendee at the February 2 town hall, who chose to remain unnamed. “The hallway has been blocked off with a special access list of people who can’t get back here.”
Subramanyam stated that he has raised the issue during an Oversight hearing and on the House floor, proposed legislation aimed at increasing transparency regarding DOGE, and even made a TikTok video in which he attempted—and failed—to enter federal buildings with a pillow and blanket.
“This is the problem with DOGE,” he continued. “There's very little transparency and accountability, and they kind of just do whatever they want without needing to even identify themselves, much less explain why they're doing things, like staying in federal buildings.”
Holly Otterbein contributed to this report.
Frederick R Cook contributed to this report for TROIB News
Workers at the General Services Administration's prominent federal office building in downtown Washington have created at least four separate sleeping rooms on the 6th floor, which are equipped with IKEA beds, lamps, and dressers, according to two career GSA employees.
The sleeping rooms are located alongside conference rooms and can only be accessed with high-security clearances, as reported by the anonymous workers who were not permitted to speak publicly.
Additionally, the agency is contemplating spending approximately $25,000 to install a washer and dryer on the 6th floor, based on a February 25 invoice obtained by PMG. There is also a children’s play area adorned with stuffed animals and toys, as shown in a photo shared with PMG.
“People are definitely … sleeping there,” said one GSA staffer.
It remains uncertain how frequently these rooms are utilized or for what duration.
Details about the sleeping arrangements at GSA—a federal building on 18th and F Street NW that houses over 1,000 staffers—provide insight into the peculiar lifestyle that DOGE workers are developing while they pursue staff cuts and budget reductions throughout the federal government.
Musk has openly endorsed the idea of sleeping and even residing at work. At an investment conference in New York last year, the tech billionaire disclosed that Tesla factories in California and Nevada served as his “primary residences” for three years. He noted that he would crash on couches and beneath his desk on the factory floor to inspire employees. Moreover, while at the helm of X, formerly Twitter, employees were allowed to sleep in the company’s offices.
Currently, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX—who is also a prominent advisor to Trump—is reportedly resettling at work again, this time at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, mere steps away from the White House.
A GSA spokesperson remarked that “government employees are working incredibly hard and long hours to help reduce the federal deficit and ensure an effective government.”
“Any purchases the agency has made followed all appropriate laws and regulations,” the spokesperson noted. “In accordance with the Sleeping in Federal Buildings bulletin, specific instances of an employee sleeping at the 1800F building was expressly authorized by an agency official.”
Ethics experts highlight that these arrangements are unclear and unprecedented in Washington, raising concerns about DOGE’s intentions. A bulletin released by GSA in 2019 states that sleeping in agency offices is prohibited "except when expressly authorized by an agency official."
Donald Sherman, executive director and chief counsel at Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a watchdog organization, pointed out that this guidance only allows for staff to sleep in a federal building if it is “directed by a supervisor,” under necessity, during emergencies, or in situations of “imminent danger to human life or property, where persons are directed to shelter-in-place.”
“This administration is firing career workers, federal employees, eviscerating civil service protections for government employees, but is also so desperate for work that it is allowing other government employees to, or directing other government employees, to sleep at work," he stated. "That doesn't make sense."
Jeff Nesbit, who has served as a political and career federal staffer under both Republican and Democratic administrations, expressed bewilderment at the situation.
“It's exceedingly odd,” Nesbit stated. “I've run the public affairs offices of five different Cabinet departments or agencies under four different presidents, two Republicans and two Democrats. I have never heard of any such thing. I can't even imagine what the purpose is, other than to terrorize the civilian workforce."
The circumstances have left many federal employees and some members of Congress feeling confused and alarmed.
Democratic Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, a member of the House Oversight Committee, has been advocating for more transparency after a concerned constituent alerted him last month during a town hall in Virginia about reports of DOGE staffers sleeping in federal buildings, although these claims have not been substantiated.
“One of Musk's top lieutenants and his wife and young child have shacked up on the 6th floor of our agency and they are living there," said the attendee at the February 2 town hall, who chose to remain unnamed. “The hallway has been blocked off with a special access list of people who can’t get back here.”
Subramanyam stated that he has raised the issue during an Oversight hearing and on the House floor, proposed legislation aimed at increasing transparency regarding DOGE, and even made a TikTok video in which he attempted—and failed—to enter federal buildings with a pillow and blanket.
“This is the problem with DOGE,” he continued. “There's very little transparency and accountability, and they kind of just do whatever they want without needing to even identify themselves, much less explain why they're doing things, like staying in federal buildings.”
Holly Otterbein contributed to this report.
Frederick R Cook contributed to this report for TROIB News
