The Legend of 'Big Balls' Grows as Young Ex-DOGE-er Saves Woman from DC Thugs
A former Department of Government Efficiency employee known as “Big Balls” is being hailed as a hero for stepping in to protect a woman in Washington, D.C., who was being attacked by thugs.
In May, it was revealed on Fox News that “Big Balls” was actually Edward Coristine, 19, a member of the DOGE team at the time.
Asked by Fox News host Jesse Watters how he got the name, Coristine explained that he used it as his LinkedIn account name.
“People on LinkedIn take themselves, like, super seriously, and they’re adverse to risk, and I was, like, well, I want to be neither of those things, so I just said it, and honestly, I didn’t even think anyone would notice,” he said.
In June, Coristine took a position working directly for the Social Security Administration, looking for waste, fraud, and abuse.
President Donald Trump reported on Tuesday, “Somebody from @DOGE was very badly hurt last night … A young man who was beat up by a bunch of thugs in D.C.”
“Either they’re going to straighten their act out in terms of government, and in terms of protection, or we’re going to have to federalize, and run it the way it’s supposed to be run,” he added.
.@POTUS: “Somebody from @DOGE was very badly hurt last night… a young man who was beat up by a bunch of thugs in D.C. Either they’re going to straighten their act out… or we’re going to have to federalize and run it the way it’s supposed to be run.” https://t.co/Z6Ywr9oYYX pic.twitter.com/yhg9mRfDaF
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) August 5, 2025
Former DOGE head Elon Musk posted on social media, “A few days ago, a gang of about a dozen young men tried to assault a woman in her car at night in DC.”
“A @Doge team member saw what was happening, ran to defend her and was severely beaten to the point of concussion, but he saved her. It is time to federalize DC,” Musk wrote.
A few days ago, a gang of about a dozen young men tried to assault a woman in her car at night in DC.
A @Doge team member saw what was happening, ran to defend her and was severely beaten to the point of concussion, but he saved her.
It is time to federalize DC. pic.twitter.com/RPHKj7J3ti
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 5, 2025
The conservative Libs of TikTok account on X posted a side-by-side picture of Coristine during his Fox News interview in May and one apparently from after his encounter with the street thugs, which had been posted on the official White House rapid response account on X and in a Trump Truth Social post.
Fox News reported that the person in the picture is Coristine.
WARNING: The following post contains images of a victim of violence that some may find disturbing.
WOW. The @DOGE employee who was brutally beaten in DC for defending a woman has been identified as none other than “BIG BALLS”
Big Balls is a HERO! pic.twitter.com/qokF1cj6fn
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) August 5, 2025
“If D.C. doesn’t get its act together, and quickly, we will have no choice but to take Federal control of the City, and run this City how it should be run, and put criminals on notice that they’re not going to get away with it anymore,” Trump wrote in the post.
“Perhaps it should have been done a long time ago, then this incredible young man, and so many others, would not have had to go through the horrors of Violent Crime. If this continues, I am going to exert my powers, and FEDERALIZE this City.”
Thank you for enforcing the law, President Trump, and thank you, Edward, for your bravery.
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