
President-elect Donald Trump’s new “Department of Government Efficiency,” is a government efficiency effort that has turned a public spotlight onto government waste and duplication in a way not done for years
Casey Harper
The Center Square
Billionaires Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy will take over a new effort to make the government more efficient.
President-elect Donald Trump’s new “Department of Government Efficiency,” or DOGE, is a government efficiency effort that has turned a public spotlight onto government waste and duplication in a way not done for years.
While journalists and nonprofits have been writing about examples of government waste during that time, very little of it actually got much attention.
Musk created a Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) account on X where he is asking followers for suggestions.
Aside from lopping off entire agencies, here are some examples of controversial federal spending that, based on Musk and Ramaswamy’s recent comments, could be in the line of fire for coming cuts:
- Billions to maintain office buildings, many of which are empty as employees work from home.
- $6 million for United States Agency for International Development to
boost tourism in Egypt. - $400 million of taxpayer dollars for presidential campaigns.
- $2.6 million in taxpayer dollars to fund a critical race theory program that trains students to promote CRT.
- Millions to train school teachers in DEI.
- Hundreds of millions of FEMA dollars for migrants.
- Tens of millions per year for DEI at the Pentagon.
- Nearly $32 million in COVID funding for luxury cars.
- $1.2 million in taxpayer dollars to find evidence that racism is to blame for poor sleep in minority communities.
- $426,250 for an app to encourage Latino men to exercise.
- $28 million for camouflage uniforms that you can see.
- Billions in improper payments of COVID funds to businesses.
- $100 million for projects in wealthy Manhattan.
- $1 million for the West Harlem “Environmental Justice Center.”
- $50 million via “Environmental Justice” grant to anti-Israel group.
- $3 billion overall for “Environmental Justice” grants to groups, many of which are accused of partisanship.
- Part of New York’s $9 billion in federal COVID funding went to train staff in ‘culturally responsive sustaining instruction’ and ‘privilege’ and to recognize ‘equity warriors.’”
- $200,000 spent by the Department of Defense on Starbucks espresso machines
- Millions to study COVID “misinformation.”
This report was first published by The Center Square.
Also read:
- House Democrats advance $18B in tax hike proposals as session winds downHouse Democrats in Washington advanced several tax hike proposals as the legislative session nears its end, aiming to address a major budget shortfall.
- Republican budget leaders see showdown ahead as Senate Democrats approve trio of major tax increasesSenate Democrats in Washington have approved major tax increases, prompting Republican budget leaders to warn of a growing showdown ahead.
- Representatives from the 18th and 20th Legislative Districts to hold joint town hall on May 3Lawmakers from the 18th and 20th Legislative Districts will host a joint town hall on May 3 at Battle Ground City Hall to review the legislative session and hear from residents.
- POLL: Why did voters reject all three tax proposals in the April 22 special election?Clark County voters rejected all three tax measures on the April 22 special election ballot, prompting questions about trust, affordability, and communication.
- Opinion: The war on parental rightsNancy Churchill argues that Olympia lawmakers are undermining voter-approved parental rights by rewriting key legislation and silencing dissent.