Some of Doge's $110bn saving reports are wrong or lack evidence, US watchdog finds

Estimates by Doge, an initiative focused on reducing U.S. government spending, that it saved billions of dollars are "incorrect or lack supporting evidence," according to a report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). The watchdog's review of Doge's "Wall of Receipts," which claimed savings of $110 billion across contracts, grants, and leases, found significant issues with transparency and reliability. The GAO stated that Doge did not provide sufficient information to verify the methods used for calculating 96% of its reported savings.

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Several issues limit the transparency and reliability of these reported savings.

Specific findings included that many leases identified by Doge for termination were already ending before the body was established, accounting for millions in claimed savings. The report also noted instances where savings were claimed for contracts that were never terminated, meaning no savings were actually achieved. The GAO audit, requested by Democratic Senators Gary Peters and Richard Blumenthal, covered data from January 2025 to July 2026.

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While Doge provided some information about estimated savings, several issues limit the transparency and reliability of these reported savings.

Doge, the Department of Government Efficiency, was launched during President Trump's second term and closed last month. Elon Musk, the billionaire boss of Tesla and SpaceX, formerly led Doge. He initially aimed to save as much as $2 trillion annually by slashing federal jobs and closing government programs. Even Doge's own estimates fell short of this ambitious goal, claiming an estimated $214 billion in savings. A White House official stated that the administration informed the GAO that employees completed ethics training and followed financial disclosure requirements.

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The Wall of Receipts does not include an explanation of how the savings from terminated leases were calculated.