WASHINGTON (NewsNation) — As Elon Musk and the Trump administration increase efforts to reduce the federal government workforce, critics are voicing concerns over the chaotic and seemingly random cuts being made across Washington. However, some Republicans argue this is what voters want from the administration.
But as the Department of Government Efficiency announces billions in government budget cuts, the question remains: is it actually saving as much money as it claims?
Some of the items listed on DOGE’s public listing of the billions of dollars in purported savings don’t seem to add up as the agency suggests.
DOGE receipts aren’t adding up
DOGE claims it has found $55 billion in savings, touting layoffs, canceled contracts, lease renegotiations and fraud detection in the first month of the second Trump administration. However, a closer examination of the numbers raises doubts about these claims.
The website’s listing mentions USAID and the Department of Education as the two largest agencies contributing to contract savings. It even features a “wall of receipts” showing the reported spending slashes.
How much federal data has Trump really purged?
Despite claiming billions of dollars in savings, DOGE has not provided evidence for approximately $38 billion of that — nearly 75% of its total claim.
For example, DOGE claims to have saved $8 billion by canceling a tech support contract for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Office of Diversity and Civil Rights. However, that contract value was worth just $8 million, with the $8 billion figure likely due to a clerical error from when the government first filed the contract.
Despite apparent accounting issues, Republicans continue to voice their support for Musk and DOGE.
“I think American voters like the intensity and focus that they’ve seen from 30-some days of this administration — going about doing the things they told voters they were going to do. Doing the things they were elected to do,” Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said on “FOX News Sunday.”
“When you’re staring down $36 trillion in debt and counting, obviously something has to give, and I think that’s what we’re seeing right now. A comprehensive forensic audit of every department and agency in the federal government,” Rep. Mike Lawler, R-NY, said on ABC’s “This Week.”
DOGE has stated it will update its savings website twice a week, so corrections could be forthcoming.
Poll: Just 37% of Americans think DOGE is cutting waste
Several new polls suggest Americans are growing uneasy about DOGE and its results.
A poll from Emerson College and the Washington Post shows more Americans disapprove of Musk’s handling of DOGE. That’s in line with a Pew Research Center poll that puts Musk’s favorability rating at 42%.
The Washington Post found that just 37% think DOGE is cutting wasteful spending.
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A Morning Consult Pro poll shows that number is even lower, reporting that 31% think shrinking the government should be a top priority for the administration.
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However, that sentiment could change if the administration’s proposed plan for DOGE stimulus checks becomes a reality.
The plan claims to put as much as 20% of whatever the agency cuts from the federal budget directly into Americans’ pockets.
