Elon Musk's DOGE Uncovers US Government Spending Hole
In recent weeks, Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have made headlines for uncovering serious flaws in the US government's spending system.
With the goal of cutting waste, increasing efficiency, and promoting transparency, DOGE has saved taxpayers $36.7 billion in less than three weeks since its launch on January 21.
According to data from Doge-tracker, this savings is just 1.8% of Elon Musk's grand goal of cutting $2 trillion in US government spending. Musk outlined this vision in an interview with politician Mark Penn on January 9.
DOGE has discovered a $100 billion annual spending loophole, involving welfare payments to individuals without a Social Security Number (SSN) or temporary identification number.
In a post on X on February 8, Musk revealed that when he asked US Treasury officials how much of this money was being fraudulently distributed, they estimated it was at least $50 billion a year, or $1 billion a week. Musk called the number “insane” and insisted that immediate action was needed.
Following the discovery, DOGE and the US Treasury signed a joint agreement to improve transparency in government spending, including:
Requiring payment classification codes for all transactions, making auditing easier.
Add a payment reason to your spending, avoiding blank spending purposes.
Update the “DO-NOT-PAY” list weekly or daily, instead of just once a year.
Brian Armstrong, CEO of Coinbase, has expressed strong support for Musk’s reforms. In an announcement on X on February 9, Armstrong called for the application of decentralized blockchain technology to the government’s financial system to increase transparency.
DOGE is expected to operate until July 4, 2026, which coincides with the 250th anniversary of the US Independence Day. The ultimate goal is to build a “leaner, more efficient, and less bureaucratic” government. A new plan will be announced on that occasion, marking a new step forward in the US government’s financial reform.
