Trump Administration Removes Viral DOGE Videos, But They’re Already Back Up

The internet is already hosting multiple archived backups of the DOGE videos after a judge ordered their removal. On March 16, 2026, deposition videos of DOGE staffers, removed at the Trump administration’s request, have resurfaced online. Viral clips of ex-staffers of the Elon Musk-led agency, DOGE, offered a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the organization’s operations. A federal judge ordered these videos removed after a request from the Trump administration. However, internet archivists and Reddit’s r/datahoarders swiftly re-uploaded backups of the videos. These depositions, hosted originally by the ACLS, AHA, and MLA, involved interviews with former DOGE employees Justin Fox and Nate Cavanaugh. The depositions, particularly Fox’s, went viral due to his inability to explain DEI despite using it to justify funding cuts. Other clips revealed the use of ChatGPT by DOGE staffers to decide programs for budget cuts. In response, the Trump administration claimed the videos endangered the former staffers, leading Judge Colleen McMahon to order the videos removed. The ACLS, AHA, and MLA argued this was a First Amendment issue, emphasizing public interest due to governmental testimony. Despite removal efforts, the videos remain widely available online through platforms like the Internet Archive and torrents from data hoarders. It appears the internet has decided that these videos will remain accessible in some form.