Treasury Secretary Bessent Reports DOGE Has Saved Approximately $50 Billion to Date
“That’s a very promising beginning,” remarked the Treasury Secretary.
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), spearheaded by Elon Musk and established during the Trump administration, has successfully saved approximately $50 billion to date, according to U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in a recent interview.
Bessent assured Americans that they “need not worry” about DOGE’s involvement with the IRS, explaining that one DOGE employee is currently focused on assessing an “outdated IT system,” which is “all they’re doing.” He also refuted allegations that DOGE would probe into the IRS’s taxpayer systems.
In a related note, two staff members from DOGE have “read-only access” to IRS payment systems, indicating that they are unable to implement changes.
“There are very stringent safeguards in place for them,” Bessent stated.
Since the outset of the Trump administration, DOGE personnel have visited various agencies and examined their computer systems to identify fraud, waste, and abuse. Musk has noted that DOGE could potentially eliminate trillions in expenses and reduce taxes for Americans.
Related Stories
While the DOGE team continues to delve into various agencies’ systems, lawsuits have emerged claiming that President Donald Trump and DOGE are in violation of legal statutes. At least two of these lawsuits specifically target Musk.
Earlier this week, the Trump administration disclosed in legal documents that Musk, the billionaire behind Tesla and X, does not hold an official position within DOGE but serves as a senior advisor to Trump.
This declaration was submitted on Monday as the Trump administration faces a lawsuit from several Democratic-led states seeking to prevent Musk and DOGE from accessing government resources. The plaintiffs argue that Musk is exercising “virtually unchecked power” in violation of the Constitution.
The Trump administration has clarified that Musk is not an employee of DOGE and does not possess “actual authority to make government decisions on his own,” stated Joshua Fisher, director of the White House Office of Administration, in court filings. The papers do not specify the identity of the DOGE administrator, whose initiatives Musk has highlighted in social media posts and in public appearances at the White House.
“DOGE will also have access to tax records of Mr. Musk’s business competitors, which the IRS maintains. No other business owner globally has access to such information on their competitors, and there are valid reasons for this,” the lawsuit asserted.
Last week, Trump commented on DOGE and the IRS, expressing confidence that DOGE is performing exceptionally well and that no agency would evade its scrutiny.
“I believe the Internal Revenue Service will be reviewed just like any other; practically everyone will be examined,” Trump told reporters on Feb. 13 at the White House.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
