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As President Donald Trump recently marked his 100th day in office, Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency has revealed startling findings about government spending. According to DOGE officials, the agency has successfully identified and cut more than $160 billion in waste, fraud, and improper expenditure within the federal government.
Established by Trump on his Inauguration Day, DOGE set an ambitious goal of reducing the federal deficit by a staggering $2 trillion. This initiative reflects a commitment to scrutinizing government spending and ensuring taxpayer dollars are used effectively.
However, as a special government employee, Musk is subject to limitations on his time, having only 130 working days per year. His tenure at DOGE is set to conclude on May 30, prompting him to gradually reduce his hours leading the organization.
During a recent segment on Fox News Channel’s “Jesse Watters Primetime,” viewers received an inside look at DOGE’s operations and the significant discoveries made thus far. Both Democrats and Republicans have taken notice of the agency, as Trump’s administration continues to address federal expenditures.
Discoveries of Disturbing Spending
Among the agency’s most shocking findings was the revelation that the United States Institute of Peace had transferred $132,000 to Mohammad Qasem Halimi, a former Taliban official who previously served as Afghanistan’s Chief of Protocol. This contract was swiftly canceled after DOGE’s investigation unearthed the troubling association.
Halimi was held by U.S. forces at Bagram Air Base for a year starting January 2, 2002, before taking on various governmental roles in Afghanistan, including serving as the Minister of Hajj and Religious Affairs in 2020. A DOGE representative shared an ironic finding: despite its name, the Institute of Peace appeared to harbor less-than-peaceful practices.
According to the DOGE staffer, the agency was found to have loaded firearms on site as well as extravagant spending on luxury private jets, raising questions about its financial priorities.
Although the USIP did not respond to inquiries regarding the findings, the reports have drawn significant scrutiny.
School Spending Under Fire
Further investigations conducted by DOGE exposed alarming expenditures related to COVID-relief funds intended for schools. A staggering $200 billion was allocated for educational support, yet many transactions lacked oversight and did not significantly benefit students.
One reported misuse included Granite School District in Utah, which allocated $86,000 of COVID-relief funds on hotel stays at the luxurious Caesars Palace in Las Vegas for an educational conference. Similarly, Santa Ana Unified in California spent $393,000 to rent a Major League Baseball stadium for school events. Although Granite School District defended these actions, the public remains skeptical about the judgement exercised in these decisions.
In another instance, DOGE uncovered that $60,000 in COVID-relief funds was expended on swimming pool passes, while a school district in California even bought an ice cream truck. Musk emphasized the absurdity of such judgments, stating that significantly more prudent decisions should have been taken with taxpayer money.
Astonishing Federal Appropriations
Senator Joni Ernst from Iowa, who leads the Senate DOGE Caucus, highlighted additional ludicrous expenditures, including a $20 million grant authorized by the U.S. Agency for International Development to create a localized version of Sesame Street in Iraq. This funding was awarded to Sesame Workshop to produce “Ahlan Simsim Iraq,” a program aimed at promoting inclusivity and understanding among diverse cultural and ethnic communities.
Such appropriation of funds has drawn ire and concern about the prioritization of projects and the justification behind such significant spending.
Flood of Improper Payments
Backing DOGE’s findings, the U.S. Government Accountability Office reported approximately $162 billion wasted in improper payments across the government. This figure indicates a reduction of $74 billion from their previous fiscal year analysis, but it nevertheless raises alarms about inefficiencies within federal agencies.
Most of the reported waste stemmed from only five programs, with $54 billion attributed to Department of Health and Human Services Medicare programs and $31 billion connected to Medicaid expenditures. The analysis also outlined improper payments from other agencies like the Department of Agriculture and Small Business Administration’s Restaurant Revitalization Fund.
Focus on Cost Reduction and Efficiency
Throughout his campaign and into his presidency, Trump has pledged to significantly reduce spending related to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Such programs have been closely examined by DOGE, resulting in cuts amounting to hundreds of millions.
Recent announcements indicated that DOGE collaborated with the National Science Foundation to eliminate 402 wasteful DEI-related grants, resulting in a substantial saving of $233 million. Programs like “Antiracist Teacher Leadership for Statewide Transformation” became targets for cuts amid broader scrutiny on unnecessary federal spending.
The Department of Defense is projected to save up to $80 million by terminating similar DEI programs. This revelation indicates a shift in focusing federal spending on programs that yield tangible benefits rather than ones deemed superfluous.
Path Forward: A Call for Accountability
Amid the scrutiny of these expenditures, the Trump administration has made strides toward holding federal agencies accountable for more prudent fiscal management. From cutting grants associated with diversity training in the education sector to eliminating funding for perceived wasteful programs, the government is actively pursuing a path of efficiency.
As DOGE continues to deliver on its promise of financial oversight, it remains essential for taxpayers to remain informed and hold their leaders accountable. With the potential of future budget reductions looming, taxpayers deserve transparency and reassurance that their hard-earned money is being spent wisely and effectively.
