The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) faces intense scrutiny after announcing $55 billion in federal spending cuts, with critics pointing to glaring inconsistencies like an $8 billion contract error revealed this week. While DOGE attributes savings to contract terminations and workforce reductions, its claims lack independent verification – particularly after revising a controversial ICE contract’s value from $8 billion to $8 million.
Contract details published by DOGE show 1,127 terminated agreements across 39 agencies, totaling $8.6 billion. However, D&G Support Services – listed as having an $8 billion ICE deal – confirmed the figure was a clerical error in government records.
The contract value had a ceiling of $8 million,CEO Leah Sanders stated, casting doubt on DOGE’s initial $55 billion narrative.
Key agencies impacted by cuts include:
- USAID: $6.5 billion
- Department of Education: $502 million
- Social Security Administration: $232 million
DOGE acknowledges its published data covers only 20% of claimed savings and may contain omissions. This opacity fuels bipartisan concerns about the validity of cuts tied to politically charged initiatives like canceling DEIA-related services under Biden’s Executive Order 14035. With federal spending data discrepancies unresolved, lawmakers demand concrete audits to separate fiscal prudence from partisan accounting.