The new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has been making headlines since it was first announced by the Trump administration. Starting with the controversy of Tesla CEO Elon Musk heading the new advisory division to debates surrounding the extent to which DOGE has access to other agencies’ data, the advisory board has received its fair share of criticism and praise. Now, DOGE may be gearing up to send new payments to qualified beneficiaries.
The role of DOGE in the United States government
The implementation of DOGE is down to the new Trump administration. While not an officially installed department, DOGE’s role in government is to sit as an advisory body to the Trump Administration on ways for the government to reduce unnecessary spending and cut down on federal costs.
However, while supporters have praised the initiative and its effort to put taxpayer money to good use, others are skeptical and criticize the power and influence that Musk, an unelected official, holds in government through the program.
Despite the short amount of time the Trump administration has been in force, DOGE has already suggested drastic changes to the federal workforce. The program has 18 months to carry out its mission of cleaning up government spending, with the group set to disband starting in July 2026. So far, DOGE has cut a number of DEI initiatives as well as consulting contracts and lease terminations for federal buildings. According to the agency’s website, DOGE has already saved $55 billion in unnecessary spending, but this has not been confirmed.
New proposed $5,000 stimulus check from DOGE
While DOGE is looking to cut spending, it comes as a surprise that there are rumors of a possible stimulus check to be expected from DOGE. Proposed by James Fishback, CEO of the Azoria investment firm, President Trump is currently considering a proposed $5,000 stimulus check for eligible individuals from DOGE.
Fishback told Newsweek in an interview:
“I have ongoing discussions with folks in the administration, and I’ve had ongoing discussions with folks on the Hill. I spoke with six US senators this past week and continue those conversations to get feedback. And it’s been overwhelmingly positive. The next step is there’s going to be a bill, and the bill is coming very soon.”
However, if the proposal materializes, certain requirements would first need to be met. Firstly, DOGE would have to achieve its ambitious $2 trillion savings goals. DOGE and President Trump have already stated that they will consider giving 20% of these savings to American citizens provided they meet the goal in the first place.
The DOGE checks won’t materialize without Congress
Another important fact to remember is that if the $5,000 checks become a reality, they would first have to be approved by Congress to be released. Many lawmakers are against the idea, believing that any savings DOGE makes should go towards paying off the national debt.
House Speaker Mike Johnson said during a conference in February:
“Politically, that would be great for us, you know, because everybody gets a check. But if you think about our core principles, right, fiscal responsibility is what we do as conservatives. That’s our brand, and we have a $36 trillion in federal debt. We have a giant deficit that we’re contending with. I think we need to pay down the credit card, right?”
The Trump Administration continues to fight controversy
DOGE is just one of several controversies the new Trump Administration has been faced with justifying. Recently, the new tariffs the administration has decided to implement on Canadian and Mexican goods have caused a backlash for Musk’s own company, with the Canadian province of British Columbia removing Teslas as qualifying for the province’s electrical rebate program. In response, Musk shared on social media platform X that Canada should be denied access to SpaceX and Starlink services.
