Elon Musk discusses cuts to DOGE in interview with Fox News
During Fox News’ “Special Report with Bret Baier,” Musk claims that cost-cutting initiatives will not affect essential services like social security.
Confusion over the timeline of Elon Musk’s tenure at DOGE has rekindled discussions regarding his governmental role and the speculated $5,000 “DOGE dividend” checks for taxpayers.
Musk noted at a political rally on March 30 that neither he nor former President Donald Trump could independently authorize the checks.
“It’s largely dependent on Congress and potentially the president to decide if specific checks are issued,” Musk stated.
Speculation about Musk’s future intensified recently, partly due to Trump indicating that Musk would need to return to leading his array of companies. There were rumors that he was being sidelined, although the White House later countered these claims.
Here’s the latest update on DOGE and its financial implications.
Are DOGE stimulus checks on the way?
Witness Elon Musk recognizing that DOGE stimulus checks might not be forthcoming
Musk admitted that the provision of DOGE stimulus checks for taxpayers is contingent upon congressional approval or that of President Donald Trump.
The likelihood appears to be diminishing. The proposition of a $5,000 check was based on the expectation that DOGE could save $2 trillion in federal expenditures. Originally suggested by James Fishback, CEO of Azoria investment firm, this plan envisioned DOGE distributing 20% of the savings to the 80 million taxpaying households in the U.S.
However, Musk has since revised the estimated savings to $1 trillion, effectively halving the potential checks.
According to figures shared on March 30 regarding DOGE’s financial transparency, a 20% “DOGE dividend” on their claimed savings could translate to approximately $174 per taxpayer.
As Musk highlighted, congressional authorization would be necessary for any checks to be issued.
Is Elon Musk’s role with DOGE ending?
Musk is classified as a “special government employee” and is permitted to serve in this capacity for only 130 days per year. The White House confirmed his appointment to this official role on February 3, which means his last possible working day could be June 13. It’s also possible he may have been involved earlier; the presidential inauguration was on January 20, meaning his earliest appointment could technically expire on May 30.
DOGE has authorization to operate until July 4, 2026, and it remains uncertain whether Musk could return next year or would choose to do so.
Vice President JD Vance mentioned on Fox & Friends that even without a formal position, Musk would continue to serve as an advisor to the administration. However, some political analysts speculate that Musk may pose a political risk and would be better off remaining out of the limelight.
Is Elon Musk in charge of DOGE?
Opinions vary on this question. Trump has consistently referred to Musk as the head of DOGE and credited his leadership in its operations.
Nonetheless, the Trump administration has legally contended that Musk is not the DOGE leader nor even an employee, identifying him merely as a senior advisor without authority to make decisions.
Instead, Amy Gleason, a previous official from the U.S. Digital Service, was designated as the acting DOGE administrator on February 25. Gleason, who has been recognized as a health technology executive, has served as a senior advisor within the U.S. Digital Service since January, according to the Tennessean.
What savings has DOGE realized thus far?
DOGE maintains a “wall of receipts,” purportedly to showcase where it has eliminated waste and fraud within federal agencies.
As of March 30, their records indicate savings of $140 billion, achieved through a mix of fraud detection and elimination, cancellation and renegotiation of contracts/leases, asset sales, grant cancellations, workforce reductions, programmatic adjustments, and regulatory savings.
This equates to $869.57 per taxpayer as per the website’s calculations.
While DOGE’s site asserts that it provides detailed accounts of its budget-reducing initiatives, many of the listed items are canceled contracts across various federal departments and agencies.
Reports from USA TODAY have also revealed significant discrepancies in the savings claimed by DOGE on their site. For example, one claim of saving $881 million by terminating contracts at the Education Department indicated contract values were closer to $676 million, while another claim of $8 billion in savings turned out to reflect only $8 million.
What does DOGE represent in the government context?
DOGE stands for the Department of Government Efficiency, although it is not a formal department. It was established by Trump as a temporary service with authorization to function only until July 4, 2026.
The mandate of DOGE is to reduce spending and regulations, aimed at diminishing bureaucracy and the overall size of the federal government.
The name DOGE is also a nod to dogecoin, a cryptocurrency which Musk has supported for several years.
Nate Trela reports on trending news in Colorado and Utah for the USA TODAY Network.
