How Much Money Elon Musk's DOGE Has Cut To Date

The Department of Government Efficiency, otherwise known as DOGE, has been tasked by President Donald Trump to eliminate supposedly wasteful government spending. Since Elon Musk took his position at the helm of this unofficial government agency, many rumors have circulated about what exactly DOGE plans to do, has already done, and is in the process of implementing. For example, a February 2025 rumor circulated that DOGE would send out stimulus checks to Americans. Similarly, many of Musk's incorrect claims about Social Security have left more and more people concerned about the program's future.

Despite all the buzz, you might be wondering just how much money DOGE has actually cut so far. According to the DOGE website, as of April 8, 2025, the agency has saved taxpayers around $150 billion dollars. However, it would be more than fair to question the accuracy of that number. For example, the watchdog data tracker, Musk Watch DOGE Tracker, shows that DOGE's verified savings are closer to $11.7 billion, as of April 1.

According to doge.gov, the agency has made a number of different financial cuts to the federal government totaling an estimated $150 billion. This amounts to roughly $931 worth of annual savings per taxpayer. For those wondering where, exactly, these numbers are coming from, DOGE reports the savings have come from a "combination of asset sales, contract/lease cancellations and renegotiations, fraud and improper payment deletion, grant cancellations, interest savings, programmatic changes, regulatory savings, and workforce reductions." 

However, many have, and continue to, dispute these estimated savings figures as inaccurate or overstated. For example, after the American Enterprise Institute went through a number of financial records they were able to conclude that DOGE's latest savings total is actually closer to $10 billion in reality. To further explain this, AEI made the case that the majority of DOGE's estimated savings is based on the total value of the federal contracts they effectively cancelled. However, it was discovered that many of those contracts had already been either partially or entirely paid for prior to DOGE's intervention. This being the case, Congress would need to approve the reversal of these paid contracts in order for DOGE's estimated savings to actually be real.

On Trump's 2025 inauguration day, the White House issued a press release stating that DOGE would only be allowed to operate until July 4, 2026. After that date, DOGE will supposedly be terminated. This gives DOGE roughly one and half years to accomplish its goal of shaving $2 trillion off of the federal government's budget. That said, even in a situation in which DOGE had actually saved the $150 billion it claims, the agency would still be behind schedule as of April 2025. This is because that total is only about 7.5% of the agency's intended goal of $2 trillion. However, if AEI and Musk Watch DOGE Tracker's findings — which place DOGE 's actual savings closer to between $10 and $12 billion — are accurate, then DOGE is significantly behind schedule.

Further complicating DOGE's efforts to meet its own federal savings goal is the news that Musk will soon be leaving the administration. A primary reason for this upcoming departure centers on Musk's status as a special government employee. This employment status means that Musk is only legally allowed to remain in his advisory position for 130 days. This leaves Musk parting ways with the Trump Administration, and DOGE, by the end of May. Musk's management of DOGE, which draws striking similarity to Musk's takeover of X, has been central to the would-be agency's progress. His departure would leaves DOGE's future more than a little uncertain.