GAO Finds DOGE Savings Claims Unreliable

The Government Accountability Office released a report on Thursday. It evaluated DOGE's claimed $110 billion in federal savings. The findings show multiple reliability issues.

Elon Musk's DOGE promised to slash $2 trillion in spending. The group claimed $215 billion in total cuts. The GAO examined contracts, grants, and leases from January 20 through July 7.

DOGE published its claims on a Wall of Receipts website. The GAO compared these figures to official federal databases. The audit found significant discrepancies in the reported data.

Of 13,476 contracts DOGE claimed it terminated, 2,503 had no termination action. The report also found overstated lease savings. DOGE claimed $113 million but actual savings totaled $53.5 million.

Transparency and Reliability Issues

The GAO identified problems with DOGE's reporting methods. The website lacks proper data quality controls. The report recommends prominent cautions for readers.

About 108 of 264 terminated leases were already in process. These began before DOGE was formed. The group did not respond to GAO requests for information.

"Everyone supports rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse," said Senator Gary Peters. "But DOGE was a slapdash and deceptive effort. It misled the American people."

Senators Peters and Blumenthal requested the report last year. They serve as ranking members on oversight committees. The report undercuts claims of meaningful spending cuts.

Impact on DOGE Credibility

The findings question the effects of DOGE's efforts. The group slashed federal spending with little notice. Hundreds of thousands of government jobs were cut.

Musk and President Trump claimed significant progress. The GAO report challenges these assertions. The data shows inflated savings figures across multiple categories.

DOGE announced its wind-down on social media on July 3. The GAO continued its review through July 7. Musk and the White House did not immediately respond.

The report serves as an official audit of the initiative. It recommends the website caution readers about data problems. The GAO found DOGE is not a reliable source of information.