‘Just getting started’: Trump speech on DOGE, budget and border
President Donald Trump articulated his vision for the next four years in his remarks before a joint session of Congress.
The potential Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) check is a hot topic now, especially since it could mean $5,000 for everyone.
Trump initially introduced the idea, inspired by investment firm CEO James Fishback, in late February.
“We’re contemplating giving 20% of the DOGE savings to American citizens and 20% to pay down the debt,” Trump stated during a discussion at the Saudi-sponsored FII PRIORITY Summit in Miami Beach last month.
The announcement coincided with a USA TODAY report highlighting misleading information on DOGE’s website regarding their claimed savings, which included a nearly $8 billion discrepancy.
So how would this new stimulus check be implemented? Here’s what to know:
Is there a DOGE stimulus check?
Currently, there’s no indication that DOGE will issue a stimulus check as a result of cost-cutting measures. Any form of stimulus payment from the U.S. government would require Congressional approval. In other words, do not expect anything in the near future.
Did people receive stimulus checks in 2025?
Yes, some did.
The Internal Revenue Service issued stimulus checks to taxpayers who had not claimed a Recovery Rebate Credit on their 2021 tax returns. This credit was for taxpayers who missed previous stimulus payments.
The stimulus, announced in December under the Biden administration, was authorized after internal IRS data revealed that many eligible taxpayers who filed a 2021 tax return didn’t claim the Recovery Rebate Credit.
The payments were distributed in December and January, with eligible individuals receiving up to $1,400, according to the IRS.
Can someone still claim the $1,400 stimulus check?
Taxpayers who did not file a 2021 tax return might still be eligible for the stimulus check if they file their return and claim the Recovery Rebate Credit by April 15, per IRS guidelines.
What is DOGE?
DOGE, officially known as the U.S. DOGE Service Temporary Organization, is an initiative created by Trump, led by “special government employee” Musk.
The mission of DOGE is to reduce federal spending, deregulate, and “modernize federal technology and software to enhance governmental efficiency and productivity.”
Who would qualify for $5,000 DOGE stimulus checks?
While Trump didn’t provide further specifics on the potential DOGE dividend, Fishback’s four-page proposal outlined the DOGE dividend as a refund “sent only to tax-paying households” and would be limited to households above a specific income level, in contrast to pandemic-era checks which were distributed “indiscriminately.”
Fishback highlighted that unlike previous stimulus checks, DOGE checks would not be inflationary, as they would be “solely funded with DOGE-driven savings, unlike COVID stimulus checks which were financed by deficits.”
“Many low-income households received transfer payments amounting to 25 to 30% of their annual income,” Fishback noted regarding the pandemic stimulus checks, adding that “This exclusively targets households that are net-payers of federal income tax, which implies a lower propensity to spend and a higher propensity to save a transfer payment like the DOGE dividend.”
