Musk’s DOGE claims it terminated leases of federal agencies in St. Louis area
The Department of Government Efficiency says it is cutting costs in the Bi-State.
ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) claims it has terminated leases of federal field offices in the St. Louis area to save money.
According to DOGE’s website, the department states it has ended the lease for the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) field office in St. Louis. The lease was worth approximately $425,000 over the lifetime of the agreement, assuming “a 5-year continuation of the lease,” according to DOGE. That’s $85,000 annually.
Another lease termination is set for April for the about 4,500 sq. ft. facility occupied by Federal Acquisition Service (FAS) employees in O’Fallon, Illinois, which would have cost an estimated $240,000 over the remainder of that lease, or about $99,000 annually. DOGE’s website previously said this was a General Services istration (GSA) building, the agency tasked with overseeing these leases.
A third lease termination for a Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) field office in the St. Louis area has been terminated, according to DOGE, saving an alleged $337,219.
Initially, First Alert 4’s attempts to reach DCSA for comment were unsuccessful, as the listed field office’s phone number was disconnected, and emails went unanswered.
A spokesperson eventually got back, stating DCSA is correcting the phone number listed on their website. They also say DCSA was already allowing a lease in the region to terminate at the end of 2025, and they still are operating out of their Greater St. Louis field offices, a decision made prior to DOGE’s conception:
“DCSA is aware of the reporting on an office closing in St. Louis. DCSA has two field offices in the greater St Louis area. Over a year ago the Lessor for one of the offices informed GSA that they wouldn’t renew the Government lease and that it would expire in December 2025. DCSA began market research for new space in 2024. Once a site is identified, DCSA will consolidate its two field offices into a single location under a new lease. Personnel from the location with the lease that is ending will work out of the second office on an interim basis. DCSA has a workforce of 16 in the St. Louis area. DCSA has an ongoing effort to consolidate office space as leases end.”
DCSA says work to consolidate offices was underway before DOGE was established.
Note that a spokesperson for DCSA says the agency does not post or release the addresses of their field offices for security reasons.
An FMCS spokesperson tells First Alert 4 they received a memo dated Feb. 4, instructing them to examine their office space utilization:
“FMCS received a General Services istration (GSA) memorandum instructing us to examine our inventory of federal offices and identify unneeded or underutilized leased spaces with contract provisions making them available for termination by the federal government. As part of this effort, our St. Louis office was identified for lease termination.
It is important to note that there is no direct correlation between the termination of this lease and our personnel roster. Specifically, the loss of physical space in St. Louis has not impacted our staffing or operations."
Beyond lease closures, DOGE’s cost-cutting efforts could impact other federal agencies with field offices in the area, including the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), which plays a critical role in national security and military intelligence.
While NGA did not confirm DOGE’s direct involvement in St. Louis, officials stated they are “complying with all executive orders from the president, which include DOGE’s initiatives,” according to an NGA St. Louis spokesperson. They say no current presidential orders impact the facility’s fall 2025 move-in or spring 2026 opening date.
However, DOGE’s efforts to cut staffing nationwide could lead to cuts of probationary employees at NGA.
Former U.S. Representative William Lacy Clay, who ed the construction of NGA’s new St. Louis facility on the Northside, called the situation “alarming,” especially as disputes continue over whether DOGE employees have security clearance to access sensitive federal buildings and data.
“NGA protects national security,” Clay said. “They provide critical intelligence to keep us and our troops safe.”
Additionally, links on NGA’s website that previously provided updates on the agency’s construction progress are no longer accessible.
The shake-ups come amid reports that DOGE’s leader, Elon Musk, is demanding federal employees report their work to the agency.
First Alert 4 asked the DCSA, GSA and NGA about potential impacts to employees at these facilities.
DCSA stated its 16 St. Louis-area employees would not be impacted by the lease termination.
GSA, the agency responsible for finding spaces for federal employees to work out of, gave First Alert 4 a statement on the lease terminations:
“GSA is reviewing all options to optimize our footprint and building utilization. GSA is actively working with our tenant agencies to assess their space needs and fully optimize the federal footprint, and we’ll share more information on specific savings and facilities as soon as we’re able.”
DOGE’s efforts to cut to federal probationary workers is a story playing out across the country, as the Pentagon says it will cut 5,400 probationary workers starting next week.
Additionally, the istration’s own data shows about 40% of contracts canceled by Musk’s DOGE are producing no savings, contradicting the claims it makes on its website.
This is a developing story.
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