As DOGE Expands, Have its Cuts Been Effective?

Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency has been cutting leases, grants, and employees, aiming to slash government fraud and abuse. But is it working?

Expansion: In Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis has launched his own statewide Department of Government Efficiency, signaling that he thinks DOGE has been effective.

Cuts: The Associated Press (Left bias) reported, “Nearly 40% of the federal contracts that President Donald Trump’s administration claims to have canceled as part of its signature cost-cutting program aren’t expected to save the government any money, the administration’s own data shows.” Overall contract cancellations are expected to save $9.6 billion, according to DOGE, but the Associated Press added that the number “been questioned as inflated by independent experts.” On Monday, DOGE said that its cost-cutting efforts have saved an estimated $65 billion. The number has not been verified.  

How The Media Covered It: Outlets on the left have been critical of DOGE, often citing the lack of verification or third-party confirmation of DOGE's savings and pointing out cases where Musk has spread misinformation. Outlets on the right are more likely to quote DOGE and the figures it provides without pushback. Florida's DOGE task force was covered more by outlets in the center and on the right than outlets on the left. Several outlets on the left and some in the center reported on the 40% of contracts statistic, while outlets on the right did not.