Senate Report Reveals $21.7 Billion Waste by DOGE in Six Months

A Senate report led by Senator Richard Blumenthal reveals that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), established by President Donald Trump with Elon Musk as an initial adviser and head, has wasted at least $21.7 billion in its first six months. The largest waste stems from the Deferred Resignation Program, which paid approximately 200,000 federal employees not to work, costing around $14.8 billion. Additional waste includes over $66 million spent on highly qualified staff performing menial tasks and destruction of $110 million worth of food aid and medical supplies. Despite DOGE's mission to cut government spending and increase efficiency, the report criticizes the department for creating more waste and disruption, exacerbated by Musk's lack of government experience and a leadership style that prioritized disruption over governance. The fallout between Musk and Trump followed political disagreements, leading to Musk’s departure from DOGE, though the department's website claims significant savings of $199 billion. Critics argue that while DOGE was intended to reduce waste, it instead generated massive inefficiencies affecting multiple federal agencies, with key departments like Defense, Agriculture, and Veterans Affairs heavily impacted.