The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, has come under fire for errors in its reported cost-cutting achievements. Following multiple media investigations, DOGE quietly removed its five biggest “savings” claims from its public “wall of receipts”, raising further concerns about the accuracy of its reported $65 billion in savings.
What Happened?
Key Developments:
- DOGE deleted its five largest savings claims after media scrutiny.
- The New York Times found the savings estimates were riddled with mistakes, including:
- Major accounting errors
- Incorrect assumptions
- Outdated data
- Despite removing the top five savings, DOGE’s reported savings increased by $10 billion, from $55 billion on Friday to $65 billion on Tuesday.
The New York Times on DOGE’s Public Ledger:
“The ‘wall of receipts’ is the only public ledger DOGE has produced to document its work, and it is riddled with mistakes.”
Examples of DOGE’s Reported Mistakes
Overstated Contract Savings:
- ICE Contract Error: DOGE claimed it cut an $8 billion contract—the actual contract was only $8 million.
- Social Security IT Contract: DOGE claimed $232 million in savings, but only $560,000 was actually cut.
- Repeated Entries: A USAID contract was counted three times in DOGE’s savings reports.
- Already Paid Contracts: The Wall Street Journal found that over 25% of “cut” contracts had already been paid before DOGE took credit.
Critics on DOGE’s Team:
“Musk’s young tech team doesn’t understand the government’s contract system or even basic bookkeeping.”
Elon Musk Responds to Criticism
Musk denied inaccuracies, claiming DOGE had already corrected the ICE contract figure. However, media outlets note that many of DOGE’s reported cost-cutting “receipts” still don’t match up with actual budget figures.
Elon Musk on X (Twitter):
“The reporting was inaccurate. The number was initially incorrect but was corrected last month.”
The White House’s Response
New Leadership at DOGE:
- Amy Gleason was named head of the U.S. DOGE Service on Tuesday, indicating possible reforms to address concerns.
No Official Comment:
- The White House has not yet commented on the removal of key savings claims.
