Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, also known as DOGE, has shared that it aims to save over $150 billion by the fiscal year 2026 by cutting down on fraud and unnecessary spending. This target was disclosed after the department underwent a thorough investigation, which Musk referred to as a “target-rich environment” full of government inefficiencies.
Musk discussed this during a meeting with President Donald Trump’s cabinet members on Thursday. He discussed the recent steps DOGE took, such as suddenly ending 108 government contracts that were considered to be “wasteful.” Although this is a substantial amount, it’s not as high as the $1 trillion in savings he had previously suggested was possible. Nevertheless, it represents a significant step forward for the government entity created under Trump’s guidance.
“We anticipate savings in FY 26 from the reduction of waste and fraud by $150 billion,” Musk said. “Some of it is just absurd—like people getting unemployment insurance who haven’t been born yet.” If all goes as planned, this would mean each American taxpayer would save approximately $931.68, according to information presented on DOGE’s official website.
Less than a full day before Musk’s big revelation, DOGE had already been the talk of the town due to the abrupt ending of 108 agreements, which had a combined potential worth of a whopping $250 million.
Through this, they managed to keep a hefty $70 million in their pockets. Some of the deals that got the axe included a sizable $5.2 million strategic advisory agreement with the U.S. Office of Personnel Management and a rather peculiar $14,000 “executive transformational leadership training” under the Department of Health and Human Services.
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The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has launched a “massive testing and research effort” that HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.… pic.twitter.com/NwzGetV1FZ
— Owen Gregorian (@OwenGregorian) April 11, 2025
But wait, there’s more! DOGE’s X account also spilled the beans on some truly weird cases of fraud that had been uncovered. For instance, a mind-boggling $59 million was paid out to over 24,500 people who claimed to be unemployed and over 115 years old. That’s not all—$254 million was given to toddlers and an astonishing $69 million to folks who haven’t even been born yet, with one cheeky individual listing their birth year as 2154 and scoring $41,000.
Elon Musk couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw this on X (formerly Twitter). He had to go back and read it over a few times to make sure he wasn’t seeing things. “This is so crazy I had to read it several times before it sank in,” he exclaimed.
While the $150 billion number is attention-grabbing, it’s just a small piece of the much larger $1 trillion that Musk initially pledged to cut from the government’s spending during his first few months with DOGE. In a conversation with Fox News’ Brett Baier last month, Musk talked about aiming to cut the $2 trillion nominal deficit in half. Then, he believed that they would have achieved most of the necessary work to save a trillion dollars within the 130-day window.
Even though the new number isn’t as high as the original goal, it’s still a big deal in the realm of federal budget adjustments, especially considering it’s happening under a special short-term work agreement for Musk. His actions are under scrutiny by both policy-makers and government offices.
Trump showed his appreciation for Musk and DOGE‘s progress at a recent Cabinet meeting, highlighting the importance of using “tax dollars are spent in a sensible and fair way.” Senator Joni Ernst, from Iowa, had a more lighthearted take, pointing out, “Of course, toddlers and someone with a birthdate 129 years in the future are unemployed, but they definitely don’t qualify for unemployment benefits.”
JUST IN: Republican Senator Joni Ernst (IA) took to the Senate floor with a canvas of the ‘DOGE’ dog overtaking D.C., emphasizing the need to cut government waste.
Ernst went on to say “DOGE is inevitable.” pic.twitter.com/LJzlQylnuJ
— Resist the Mainstream (@ResisttheMS) January 8, 2025
The momentum behind DOGE got a boost this week when a federal court made a ruling on Tuesday that supports the president’s power to let go of federal employees who are still on probation. This decision might make it easier and quicker to push ahead with future staff changes and reforms.
With Musk’s first move bringing a lot of attention, everyone’s curious to see how DOGE develops from here. Will the huge amount of money invested be a starting point for more significant and long-lasting changes? Or will it just be remembered as a big splash in a short-lived, symbolic political effort? What we do know for sure is that DOGE has left its imprint on the scene, and the financial effects might be felt for a long time, even going past 2026.
