WASHINGTON — Some of the savings touted by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency are incorrect or lack supporting evidence, according to U.S. federal auditors. DOGE began posting its estimated savings on a web page known as the Wall of Receipts. Lawmakers asked the Government Accountability Office to evaluate the accuracy of the estimates, and the watchdog found them lacking in some cases. Auditors found that 108 of 264 leases identified for termination on the Wall of Receipts were already in the process of termination when DOGE was established. In another case, DOGE reported US$1.7 billion in savings on a U.S. Department of Defense contract for IT services, but in the end, no action was taken to terminate the contract, so no savings were achieved. More broadly, DOGE was not transparent regarding the methodologies used to calculate savings. The GAO said DOGE officials did not respond to requests for information. The report concluded by saying the data quality issues found limit the value of the Wall of Receipts for policymakers. “In addition, when government data are not reliable, it can hinder the public’s trust in government,” the report stated. DOGE began posting its estimated savings on Feb. 17, 2025, and had reported savings of US$110 billion as of July 7 across a wide range of contracts, grants and leases. U.S. President Donald Trump’s executive order establishing DOGE sunset its operations on July 4. Billionaire Musk initially led its operations, but stepped back from that role after just a few months. Democratic Sens. Gary Peters of Michigan and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut requested the GAO report. Peters said everyone supports rooting out waste and fraud, but DOGE was a slapdash and deceptive effort that did real damage to the government’s ability to serve Americans. “Elon Musk and the Trump Administration claimed billions of dollars in savings it could not substantiate, took credit for work already underway, and refused to show its work, all while putting Americans’ sensitive data at risk and hollowing out critical agencies,” Peters said in response to the report. Kevin Freking, The Associated Press
