Get the latest tech news

DOGE says it has saved $160 billion. Those cuts have cost taxpayers $135 billion, one analysis says.


The push by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency to slash federal funding will cost taxpayers money, nonpartisan group finds. Here's why.

The $135 billion cost to taxpayers doesn't include the expense of defending multiple lawsuits challenging DOGE's actions, nor the impact of estimated lost tax collections due to staff cuts at the IRS. DOGE has sought to slash federal spending by urging government workers to accept a deferred resignation plan, which allowed many employees to retain full pay and benefits through September without working. "The continued attempts to sow doubt in the massive accomplishments of this never-before-seen effort to make government more efficient speaks more about the illegitimacy of those peddling these falsehoods than good work of DOGE," White House spokesman Harrison Fields said.

Get the Android app

Or read this on r/technology

Read more on:

Photo of analysis

analysis

Photo of cost

cost

Photo of Cuts

Cuts

Related news:

News photo

Microsoft’s new “passwordless by default” is great but comes at a cost

News photo

Trump administration asks Supreme Court to allow DOGE into Social Security systems

News photo

NASA faces cuts to rocket program and lunar space station in Trump's 2026 budget