James Fishback, CEO of Azoria, discusses President Donald Trump’s endorsement of DOGE dividends for taxpayers during his appearance on ‘Maria Bartiromo’s Wall Street.’
With the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) revealing alleged federal spending “shenanigans,” there is a growing push for DOGE dividends to “compensate taxpayers.”
On “Maria Bartiromo’s Wall Street” Friday, Fishback highlighted the “overwhelming positive reception for this ambitious initiative aimed at truly reimbursing taxpayers” with great enthusiasm.
“Having the president’s backing is an honor, but our strategy is straightforward. DOGE aims to save a significant amount of funds in the coming years. We propose to take 20% of those savings and redistribute it directly back to the diligent taxpayers who originally contributed it to Washington,” Fishback informed FOX Business anchor Maria Bartiromo.
Fishback also pointed out that this plan would encourage “American taxpayers to report any wasteful expenditures they observe. This is how we foster a culture of fiscal accountability under President Trump’s guidance.”
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Earlier this month, Fishback shared a post on X mentioning DOGE leader Elon Musk, outlining his plan to allocate 20% of the savings identified by DOGE back “to hardworking Americans as a tax refund. It was their money all along!”
He pointed out that if DOGE meets its objective of reducing federal spending by $2 trillion, it would mean approximately a $5,000 refund or “DOGE dividend” per household for the 78 million taxpaying households in the U.S., with the rest dedicated to reducing national debt.
“I’ll check with the President,” Musk replied in response to Fishback’s post.
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Since its introduction, the idea has gained momentum among lawmakers and the president, though some critics still argue that DOGE savings should prioritize resolving the national debt and deficit.
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“I empathize with the concern over the $36 trillion in debt, and that’s why under our proposal – as suggested by the president as well – 80% of the savings would be used to address the deficit and manage the debt,” Fishback stated. “But let’s not forget, the primary holder of our national debt is the American taxpayer. They entrusted their money to D.C. for responsible spending, and DOGE has illustrated that it hasn’t been used wisely. They deserve a refund.”
When questioned about how DOGE dividends differ from stimulus checks issued during the COVID-19 pandemic, Fishback clarified that the “macro backdrop” differs significantly, asserting that refunds would be “deflationary.”
“Paying down debt with checks like these does not contribute to inflation,” he explained. “It’s actually deflationary. I trust the American public; they sent this money to D.C. just a few years ago, and now they’re getting it back as a refund. The economic situation has evolved, and I no longer share the inflationary concerns I once had during 2021 when I criticized the Biden-Harris administration for reckless policies. This is prudent policy.”
DOGE is prepared to initiate a “reckoning” against certain federal agencies, as stated by congressional subcommittee Rep. Tim Burchett. (Thomas Fuller/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images / Getty Images)
While Musk has shown a willingness to support the DOGE dividend idea earlier this month, he reiterated that the priority should be on balancing the budget in light of DOGE’s initiatives.
In a recent post, Musk stated, “We need to prioritize balancing the budget first,” in response to Scott Adams’ concerns that the DOGE dividend could lead the government to treat DOGE savings as a “piggy bank.”
“We are empowering every American to point out waste, fraud, and abuse. The result is reduced waste, fraud, and abuse, a smaller budget, a reduced deficit, and a much more sustainable national debt situation,” Fishback concluded.
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FOX Business’ Eric Revell contributed to this report.
