Former President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, who has taken on an unofficial role as the leader of the Department of Government Efficiency, have suggested a way to give back to the American public. Could this initiative include financial relief for residents of Ohio?
The proposal is being explored as a strategy to cut down on federal expenditures. On Wednesday, February 19, Trump announced that his administration is contemplating providing citizens with 20% of the funds saved through DOGE, as reported by USA TODAY. This would translate to stimulus checks of $5,000.
“Americans should receive a ‘DOGE Dividend’: 20% of the savings generated by DOGE should be returned to diligent taxpayers in the form of a tax refund. They earned that money initially,” tweeted James Fishback, CEO and co-founder of Azoria Partners, earlier in February. “@Elon Musk, let’s make this happen! This is how we restore trust in our government.”
But is this proposal too good to be true? Here’s what we know so far.
Can the government afford to distribute DOGE savings to citizens? Only by achieving an ambitious target
To enable the distribution of $5,000 stimulus checks, DOGE must first achieve a savings target of $2 trillion, which would make the initiative financially viable. In a January interview with political strategist Mark Penn, Musk indicated that DOGE might realistically aim for a $1 trillion reduction instead, according to USA TODAY.
“I think we’ll aim for $2 trillion. That would be the best-case scenario,” he stated. “However, it’s essential to have some leeway. If we shoot for $2 trillion, we have a good chance at hitting $1 trillion.”
What is DOGE? The organization counts Ohio native Vivek Ramaswamy among its founders
DOGE is a temporary establishment under the U.S. DOGE Service, initiated by Elon Musk to “revamp federal technology and software for enhanced government efficiency and productivity.” Its operations are set to conclude on July 4, 2026. Former Republican presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy assisted Musk in managing the project before turning his focus to a gubernatorial run in Ohio.
Musk has asserted that DOGE could trim 30% from the $6 trillion federal budget, while Ramaswamy has suggested cutting half of all federal employment.
Elon Musk listens to U.S. President Donald Trump speak in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 11, 2025.
Who would qualify for a $5,000 stimulus check? Parallels to COVID payments
During the COVID pandemic in 2020, stimulus payments were issued to individuals who had filed taxes in the two years prior or who received Social Security or veterans’ benefits. The package included $1,200 for eligible individuals and $2,400 for most married couples filing jointly, along with $500 for each qualifying child under 17. Additional benefits included loans and grants for small businesses and increased weekly unemployment insurance payments for eligible recipients.
What do economists think about the checks?
Judge Glock, director of research at the Manhattan Institute, warns that the dividend could exacerbate the deficit and increase immediate consumer spending, potentially leading to inflation. He argues that the funds should instead address the $1 trillion budget deficit and be applied to taxes.
Professor Jay Zagorsky from Boston University’s Questrom School of Business shares concerns about inflation as well, stating that if DOGE starts “mailing out large checks to a significant number of people, wow, that’s going to hugely impact inflation because Trump is imposing tariffs, which heighten the costs of goods and services.”
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Will $5,000 DOGE checks come to Ohio, US residents?
