Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency Faces Scrutiny Over Questionable Claims and Deleted Savings
Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has come under intense scrutiny after it deleted hundreds of claims from its controversial “wall of receipts,” a list purporting to show billions of dollars in savings for U.S. taxpayers. The initiative, which aims to overhaul government operations and reduce waste, has faced criticism for its lack of transparency and accuracy. On a single night, the group erased or altered more than 1,000 contracts it had previously claimed to cancel, representing over 40% of all contracts listed on its website. These deletions wiped out $4 billion in savings that DOGE had earlier attributed to its efforts. This move marked the second time in a week that the group had removed some of its largest and most prominent claims, further casting doubt on the credibility of its work.
A History of Errors and Retractions: The Evolution of DOGE’s "Wall of Receipts"
The “wall of receipts,” first launched on February 19, initially claimed $16 billion in savings by cutting federal contracts. However, this figure has steadily declined as errors and overstatements were uncovered. Early last week, DOGE erased its five largest savings claims, and now, with the latest deletions, the total reported savings have plummeted to less than $9 billion. The website, which is the only detailed public accounting of DOGE’s work, has been riddled with mistakes from the start. Many of the errors have been egregious, such as conflating billions with millions, triple-counting cancellations, or claiming credit for contracts that had already expired years or even decades ago. These issues have raised serious questions about DOGE’s competence and its understanding of federal government operations.
Expert Analysis: A Lack of Coordination and Basic Understanding
Contracting and budget experts have expressed concern over the haphazard nature of DOGE’s approach. Jessica Riedl, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, described the process as “random,” noting that the group appears to have compiled unverified lists of contracts without proper coordination or oversight. “It seems like DOGE had certain agencies pull together some random lists of contracts that may or may not currently exist anyway, and then, without checking the data very well, uploaded it onto a website and summed up the amounts. It doesn’t seem to be centrally coordinated,” she said. This lack of coordination has led to a series of high-profile mistakes, undermining the credibility of DOGE’s mission to streamline government efficiency.
Disappearing Claims: The Vanishing Savings
Among the most striking examples of DOGE’s errors were several high-profile savings claims that were later deleted. One of the largest claims, $1.9 billion in savings from canceling an IRS contract for tech assistance, was quietly removed after it was revealed that the contract had actually been terminated in November under President Joe Biden. Similarly, a $149 million savings claim related to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) vanished after it was discovered that the entry contained multiple errors, including a link to a completely unrelated contract. Another claim of $133 million in savings from canceling a U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) contract in Libya was also deleted after the contractor, Chemonics International, revealed that its work on the project had already ended last year. These corrections have further eroded public trust in DOGE’s accountability.
DOGE and the White House Respond: Shifting the Blame
As scrutiny mounted, DOGE and the White House did not respond to requests for comment. However, the group has since added a disclaimer on its website, shifting the responsibility for the errors onto individual federal agencies. The website now states that the dollar figures “originate directly from agency contracting officials,” implying that any inaccuracies are the fault of the agencies rather than DOGE itself. This deflective approach has only added to the growing criticism, with many questioning whether DOGE is taking accountability for its own shortcomings.
Lingering Issues: Errors Remain Despite Corrections
Despite the deletions and revisions, some errors remain on DOGE’s website. For instance, as of Monday morning, the list still included a claim of $106 million in savings from canceling two Coast Guard contracts for administrative help. These lingering inaccuracies highlight the broader challenges facing DOGE in its mission to overhaul government operations. While the group aims to streamline processes and reduce waste, its missteps have raised concerns about its ability to execute such an ambitious agenda effectively. For now, the controversy surrounding DOGE’s “wall of receipts” continues to overshadow its goals, leaving taxpayers and policymakers questioning the true extent of its impact.