Elon Musk Unveils 5 Most Shocking Examples of Government Waste as He Prepares to Exit Watchdog Role
Billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk is nearing the end of his high-profile tenure as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), but before stepping down, he sat down with Fox News’ Jesse Watters to reveal the five most outrageous abuses of taxpayer dollars uncovered during his short but impactful stint.
Appointed by President Trump through an executive order signed on Inauguration Day, Musk’s DOGE was tasked with slashing a staggering $2 trillion from the federal budget. Now, as his 130-day term as a “special government employee” comes to a close on May 30, Musk is winding down his time at the agency—but not before exposing what he calls the most jaw-dropping cases of government waste.
1. U.S. Taxpayers Funded a Former Taliban Official
One of the most explosive revelations came when DOGE discovered that the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) had awarded a $132,000 contract to Mohammad Qasem Halimi—a former Taliban member who once served as Afghanistan’s Minister of Hajj and Religious Affairs. Detained by U.S. forces at Bagram Air Base in 2002, Halimi later held various roles in the Afghan government.
DOGE terminated the contract on March 31. “The United States Institute of Peace turned out to be one of the least peaceful places we investigated,” said a DOGE staffer. “We found loaded guns at their headquarters, private jet expenses, and that Taliban-linked contract. It was surreal.”
2. Luxury Conferences and Ice Cream Trucks—On COVID Relief Dime
Schools across the U.S. received $200 billion in pandemic relief funds, but DOGE audits uncovered a shocking misuse of those resources. Granite School District in Utah spent $86,000 on hotel rooms at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. In California, Santa Ana Unified School District shelled out nearly $400,000 to rent a Major League Baseball stadium.
That’s not all: DOGE also found purchases including $60,000 in swimming pool passes and an actual ice cream truck—all funded through emergency education money. Granite officials denied wrongdoing, but watchdogs aren’t convinced.
3. $20 Million for ‘Sesame Street’—In Iraq
Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), chair of the Senate DOGE Caucus, joined Musk in highlighting what she described as a mind-boggling waste: USAID granted $20 million to Sesame Workshop to produce Ahlan Simsim Iraq, a children’s program aimed at promoting tolerance and inclusion.
While the show’s mission was noble, Ernst questioned why American taxpayers should foot the bill for international puppet diplomacy—especially amid domestic budget pressures.
4. $162 Billion in ‘Improper Payments’
A Government Accountability Office (GAO) report released in March bolstered DOGE’s case. The report showed federal agencies made $162 billion in improper payments last fiscal year—down from $236 billion the year prior, but still an eye-watering sum.
Five agencies—including HHS, the Treasury, and the Department of Agriculture—were responsible for 75% of the improper payments, according to the GAO.
5. DEI Contracts Get the Axe
Musk’s team also took aim at Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) spending. Following President Trump’s directive to curb federal DEI programs, DOGE announced cuts totaling hundreds of millions of dollars.
“Taxpayer money should be used to support excellence, not bureaucracy,” Musk told Watters. “We’re returning to a merit-based approach.”
