What is the DOGE Stimulus Check? Will Texans Receive $5,000 from Trump?

Should you anticipate receiving a stimulus check from the Trump administration’s DOGE program? Is it classified as a stimulus check, refund check, or dividend, and where would these funds originate?

During a speech on Wednesday, President Donald Trump mentioned he is considering a scheme to distribute $5,000 stimulus checks to citizens in the form of a ‘DOGE dividend.’ He described this as a way to return 20% of the savings identified by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency back to American taxpayers.

This ‘DOGE dividend’ concept was initially proposed on Tuesday by Azoria investment firm CEO James Fishback on Musk’s social media platform, X. He suggested that President Trump and Musk “should announce a ‘DOGE Dividend’ — a tax refund check sent to every taxpayer, funded entirely by a share of the total savings generated by DOGE.” Musk responded, “Will check with the President.”

Here’s what you need to understand about a potential DOGE check.

What is DOGE?

The Department of Government Efficiency, officially known as the U.S. DOGE Service Temporary Organization, is a project initiated by Trump and spearheaded by ‘special government employee’ Musk.

DOGE’s goal is to cut federal expenses, simplify regulations, and modernize federal technologies and software to enhance government efficiency and performance.

Is DOGE actually saving money?

Upon its inception, DOGE aimed to save up to $2 trillion annually. They claim to have already conserved $55 billion through spending cuts; however, this figure has yet to be substantiated.

As reported by WHYY.org, these figures appear inconsistent. “An NPR review of over 1,100 contracts in that initial release indicates that DOGE’s ‘maximally transparent’ calculations still inflate its estimated savings totals by billions,” states WHYY.org.

The agency has imposed significant cuts throughout various federal sectors, resulting in widespread layoffs among federal staff. Departments impacted include the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Department of Education, the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Is there a DOGE stimulus check?

Currently, there is no indication that DOGE will issue a stimulus check as a consequence of its cost-saving measures.

— Report contributed by USA TODAY Network reporter Maria Francis.

This story has been updated to include a photo gallery.