• The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, deactivated over 500,000 federal credit cards, uncovering $40 billion in annual wasteful spending across 32 agencies.
• An audit revealed 4.6 million active government credit cards—far exceeding the federal workforce—with agencies like the DoD and EPA now facing strict spending controls.
• Critics warn DOGE’s crackdown may disrupt essential services, citing a TSA freeze on purchasing supplies for bomb-sniffing dogs as an example.
• President Trump demanded “radical transparency,” accusing bureaucrats of misusing funds for ideological projects, while DOGE exposed $4.7 trillion in untraceable spending and extreme markups.
• DOGE’s reforms have saved $165 billion so far, but with 11% of cards deactivated, the agency vows further audits to curb unchecked bureaucratic spending.

In a sweeping move to curb government waste, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) announced the deactivation of more than 500,000 federal employee credit cards, exposing a system rife with unchecked spending and inefficiency.

Led by tech billionaire Elon Musk and established under President Donald Trump’s administration, DOGE revealed that these cards, many of which were unused or unnecessary, had facilitated $40 billion in annual spending across 32 federal agencies. The unprecedented audit, which began 10 weeks ago, has already saved taxpayers an estimated $165 billion, or roughly $1,000 per citizen, signaling a major shift toward fiscal accountability.

A systemic problem uncovered

According to DOGE’s May 7 announcement on X, the audit initially identified approximately 4.6 million active government credit cards processing 90 million transactions annually. The sheer volume raised alarms, with Musk noting that the number of cards far exceeded the total federal workforce. “Twice as many credit cards are issued and active than the total number of government employees,” Musk stated, highlighting the glaring redundancy.

Among the agencies affected were the Department of Defense (2.4 million cards), Health and Human Services, the EPA, and the Treasury Department—all now subject to DOGE’s aggressive streamlining efforts.

The crackdown has not been without controversy. Critics, including congressional Democrats, argue that DOGE’s actions are overly aggressive, potentially disrupting essential services. In March, the Transportation Security Administration temporarily faced challenges purchasing supplies for bomb-sniffing dogs after its cards were restricted. A TSA spokesperson confirmed the 30-day purchasing freeze but insisted operations continued unaffected.

Trump’s mandate for transparency

President Trump has doubled down on DOGE’s mission, issuing a memo demanding “radical transparency” in federal spending. “For too long, taxpayers have subsidized ideological projects overseas and domestic organizations engaged in actions that undermine the national interest,” the memo declared, accusing bureaucrats of misallocating funds for “passion projects.”

“The American people have a right to see how the Federal Government has wasted their hard-earned wages,” the memo added.

The administration’s push aligns with broader efforts to dismantle or downsize agencies like USAID and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, though legal challenges have slowed some initiatives.

DOGE’s impact extends beyond credit cards. The department has identified $4.7 trillion in untraceable budget allocations and exposed egregious examples of waste, including 1,300 coffee cups and soap dispensers purchased at an 8,000% markup. Musk, whose role as a special government employee ends ends this month, pledged to remain involved informally to safeguard DOGE’s reforms. “A tremendous amount has been accomplished in the first 100 days,” he said at an April Cabinet meeting. “As everyone has said, it’s more than has been accomplished in any administration before. Ever. So this portends very well for what happens for the rest of the administration.”

The road ahead

With 500,000 cards deactivated—11% of the total—DOGE acknowledges the work is far from over. “”As a reminder, at the start of the audit, there were ~4.6M active cards/accounts, so still more work to do,” its X post read, promising further audits. Supporters argue the move will force agencies to justify expenses, while skeptics warn of unintended consequences. For taxpayers, however, there may be some comfort from the idea that the era of unchecked bureaucratic spending may finally be ending.

Sources for this article include:

TheEpochTimes.com

Newsweek.com

FoxNews.com