WASHINGTON: The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) says it has helped the Trump administration save USD55 billion in federal spending. However, the data available on its website ( 70CMSD22A00000008) only shows savings of USD16.6 billion.

There is also a major mistake in the reported numbers. One contract was listed as saving USD8 billion, but federal records later corrected it to just USD8 million. This error significantly reduces DOGE’s actual documented savings to around USD8.6 billion.

Questions Over Transparency

Elon Musk, who leads DOGE, has promised full transparency, saying all actions would be made public. But many are now questioning the accuracy of the numbers and the accountability of the program. Despite its name, DOGE is not a government department—it is an office within the White House that operates without oversight from traditional federal watchdogs.

Musk’s involvement has also raised concerns about conflicts of interest. His company, SpaceX, has received billions in federal contracts. Trump has stated that Musk will regulate himself if any conflicts arise. While Musk is required to file a financial disclosure, it will not be made public.

The White House has not yet responded to questions about these concerns. DOGE, on its website, says it is working to upload all data transparently but notes there could be delays of up to a month in updating contract cancellations.

Last week, Musk admitted that some of DOGE’s reports might contain errors and promised that corrections would be made quickly.

Cutting Costs, But With Secrecy

DOGE has been aggressively canceling government contracts and cutting jobs. However, in some cases, it has rehired employees shortly after firing them. There is little clarity on who is making these decisions and how the program operates.

In a recent court filing, the Trump administration claimed that Musk does not work directly for DOGE but reports only to Trump. This distinction could allow him to avoid certain transparency laws.

Inconsistent Savings Data

After facing criticism from Democrats and federal unions, DOGE has started providing more details on its website. As of Tuesday, it listed around 700 canceled contracts, totaling an estimated USD8.6 billion in savings, along with USD145 million in real estate-related savings.

One of DOGE’s biggest claimed savings was the cancellation of an USD8 billion contract with D&G Support Services, a company that was supposed to provide services for the Office of Diversity and Civil Rights at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). However, ICE’s entire annual budget is about USD9 billion, making such a high contract value unlikely. Federal records show the contract was actually worth only USD8 million, not USD8 billion, which raises questions about DOGE’s calculations.

D&G Support Services, a small company with fewer than 200 employees, has not responded to requests for comment. Its previous government contracts have been much smaller, averaging around USD1 million.

What’s Next for DOGE?

Despite these inconsistencies, the Trump administration continues to support DOGE’s efforts. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently stated that DOGE has saved nearly USD50 billion so far and called it a strong start.

Trump, in an interview with Musk on Fox News, praised the project and claimed it is uncovering billions of dollars in fraud. Musk, for his part, says his ultimate goal is to reduce the national deficit by USD1 trillion. However, with Trump pledging not to cut Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid, it remains unclear how DOGE will achieve such massive savings.

With U.S. discretionary spending at about USD1.8 trillion per year. Half of which goes to the military. DOGE is now set to review the Department of Defense as one of its next targets.