WASHINGTON (TNND) — President Donald Trump and Elon Musk are exploring a proposal to distribute checks to taxpayers derived from savings identified by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Musk received the idea of “DOGE dividends” through X and mentioned he would discuss it with the President.
This week, Trump appeared to back the initiative during a conference in Miami, proposing that 20% of the savings from DOGE could be returned to American citizens, while another 20% would be used to reduce the national debt.
“We’re even considering a new plan where we return 20% of the DOGE savings to American citizens, and 20% will go towards paying down debt because the figures are astounding, Elon,” the President stated. “We’re talking billions, hundreds of billions, and we’re thinking about giving 20% back to the American public and another 20% to reduce the debt.”
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller elaborated on the proposal during the White House Press Briefing on Thursday.
“This is going to be developed through the reconciliation process with Congress, which is currently ongoing,” Miller explained.
The actual amount given back to taxpayers will depend on the savings achieved by DOGE. A figure of $5000 was suggested based on potential cuts of $2 trillion. The department claims to have saved $55 billion to date, although this number is already under scrutiny.
In the meantime, the federal workforce is facing substantial cuts. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has reportedly instructed the military to prepare for an annual budget reduction of 8% over the next five years. With a projected military budget of $850 billion in 2025, these cuts could reach a multibillion-dollar total. Additionally, the IRS plans to lay off about 6,000 employees, primarily targeting recent hires. Since 2020, the agency has expanded its workforce by over 20,000 employees, and these layoffs would revert its staffing levels to those of 2023.
This downsizing initiative has elicited criticism from both political parties. Senator Susan Collins, R-Maine, voiced her concerns regarding the implications for her state.
“I’m very worried about how this will affect the state of Maine, from national parks to biomedical research. This is a significant issue,” Senator Collins told reporters.
Senator Ed Markey, D-Massachusetts, criticized the approach taken by DOGE.
“DOGE really represents the Department of Gutting Everything. It affects crucial areas from healthcare to education to environmental programs. People need to rally against this,” Senator Markey commented.
New Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicated that the administration’s main focus would be addressing the deficit when questioned about the potential for taxpayer checks.
