Elon Musk is on a mission to drastically cut back on government spending
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has updated its saving figures, but the numbers are yet to be verified.
DOGE is overseen by Elon Musk, who was tasked by Donald Trump to drastically cut back on government spending to stop taxpayer money being wasted.
The tech mogul vowed to maintain full transparency regarding the ongoing cuts, many of which are being showcased on the DOGE website. Staying true to this promise, DOGE has been actively updating the public on its savings progress, with the latest figures refreshed on the website as of February 24.
In its latest update, the agency claimed to have saved a staggering $65 billion.
According to the statement: “DOGE’s total estimated savings stand at $65 billion, achieved through a combination of fraud detection and elimination, contract and lease cancellations or renegotiations, asset sales, grant terminations, workforce reductions, programmatic adjustments, and regulatory efficiencies.”
Despite DOGE’s commitment to transparency, the origins of its claimed $65 billion in savings remain murky.
According to ABC News, lease terminations have saved an estimated $144 million so far, while canceled contracts account for roughly $9.6 billion—falling far short of DOGE’s lofty figure. Among the largest contracts scrapped are two linked to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, both tied to OMWI Training Support, each reportedly valued at $9,999,999, per the DOGE website.
In terms of real estate, a lease termination notice issued on January 29 for the DHS Office of the Undersecretary for Management in Arlington, Virginia, is expected to save over $12 million across five years.
Yet, the question remains: where exactly is the rest of the $65 billion coming from?
Further complicating matters, The New York Times reports that the DOGE website is “riddled with mistakes.” Their analysis of the so-called “wall of receipts” uncovered numerous discrepancies, including accounting errors, outdated data, incorrect assumptions, and other inaccuracies.
“While the DOGE team has undoubtedly trimmed billions from the budget, its haphazard accounting only fuels concerns about the group’s recklessness—especially now that it has access to sensitive government payment systems,” the New York Times reports.
Adding to the controversy, some of the cost-cutting measures listed on the DOGE website allegedly date back to Joe Biden’s administration.
Addressing DOGE’s financial claims, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told The Independent:
“President Trump promised the American people he would establish a Department of Government Efficiency, overseen by Elon Musk, to make the federal government more efficient and accountable to taxpayers. Rogue bureaucrats and activist judges attempting to undermine this effort are only subverting the will of the American people. DOGE has already identified billions of dollars in savings for American taxpayers, and President Trump will continue to direct this effort until our government is truly for the people, and by the people.”
However, Leavitt did not provide a specific savings figure.
