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Elon Musk is facing renewed scrutiny after the Government Accountability Office said the Department of Government Efficiency inflated its claims of saving $110 billion in federal spending. The watchdog’s report, released Thursday, found significant problems with the transparency, accuracy and reliability of DOGE’s online “Wall of Receipts.”
DOGE was created during President Donald Trump’s second term with a mandate to reduce waste, fraud and abuse across the federal government. Musk initially promoted a goal of cutting as much as $2 trillion in spending, although he later acknowledged that the target was unlikely to be reached.
The agency’s online savings tally became a central part of its public messaging. However, the GAO said its review uncovered multiple discrepancies after comparing DOGE’s claims with information from official federal databases.
Elon Musk’s DOGE Savings Claims Face a Critical Test
The GAO evaluated the $110 billion in savings DOGE attributed to terminated contracts, grants and leases. It said the organization also reported a broader total of $215 billion when additional categories were included.
According to the report, DOGE claimed to have terminated 13,476 contracts. But the GAO found that 2,503 of those contracts had no termination action recorded. That finding raises questions about whether some reported savings represented completed cuts, potential savings or actions that had not actually occurred.
The watchdog also challenged DOGE’s accounting for federal leases. DOGE claimed $113 million in savings from terminating 264 leases. The GAO found that the leases listed on the website amounted to approximately $53.5 million in savings, less than half the reported figure.
- DOGE claimed $110 billion in savings from selected federal cuts.
- The GAO found no termination action for 2,503 of 13,476 listed contracts.
- Lease savings were reported at $113 million but totaled about $53.5 million.
- Approximately 108 leases were already in the termination process before DOGE began.
GAO Reveals Major Problems With the Wall of Receipts
The timing of the lease cancellations was another major issue. The GAO said roughly 108 of the 264 leases were already being terminated before DOGE was established. As a result, the organization appeared to take credit for savings connected to decisions that had begun before its work started.
The report also cited billions of dollars in savings claims that could not be verified. In its recommendation, the GAO said DOGE’s website should prominently warn readers that its data has quality problems and other limitations.
The review covered DOGE’s reported actions from January 20, 2025, when Trump took office, through July 7, 2026. That date came three days after DOGE announced on social media that it had wound down.
The GAO said it requested information and interviews from DOGE but received no response. Without access to the organization’s internal records, auditors relied on publicly available federal data and documentation.
Why the Report Matters for Federal Spending
The findings further weaken claims from Musk and Trump that DOGE produced meaningful reductions in government spending. While the effort targeted contracts, grants, leases and the federal workforce, the GAO report suggests that the public savings total was not supported by dependable evidence.
The controversy also comes after DOGE helped drive sharp reductions in federal staffing. Hundreds of thousands of government jobs were affected, while agencies faced abrupt changes to programs, contracts and operations.
Senators Gary Peters of Michigan and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut requested the review last year. Peters, the ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, said the report showed that DOGE had misled Americans while damaging the government’s ability to serve them.
“Everyone supports rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse in the federal government,” Peters said in a statement, “but DOGE was a slapdash and deceptive effort.”
Musk and the White House had not immediately responded to requests for comment about the report, according to CNBC. The findings are likely to intensify political debate over government efficiency, public accountability and the accuracy of federal budget-cutting claims.
What Happens Next for DOGE and Elon Musk?
The GAO’s recommendation does not automatically invalidate every DOGE action. However, it places pressure on the organization and the administration to explain how savings were calculated and whether claimed cuts translated into actual reductions in government spending.
For taxpayers, the issue is larger than a single website or accounting dispute. Accurate financial reporting helps Congress, agencies and the public determine whether spending cuts are real, sustainable and beneficial. If savings figures are overstated, policymakers may make decisions based on incomplete or misleading information.
The report also highlights the challenge of measuring government efficiency during a rapid restructuring. Contract cancellations and lease terminations can produce projected savings, but those estimates must be separated from confirmed reductions. The GAO’s review suggests DOGE did not consistently make that distinction clear.
What did the GAO find about Elon Musk’s DOGE?
The Government Accountability Office found that DOGE’s reported savings contained data-quality problems, overstated figures and claims that could not be independently verified.
How much did DOGE claim to save?
DOGE reported $110 billion in savings from contracts, grants and leases. The GAO said the organization reported a broader total of $215 billion when additional categories were included.
What was wrong with the contract figures?
DOGE claimed 13,476 contracts had been terminated, but the GAO found that 2,503 had no recorded termination action.
Were all the lease savings created by DOGE?
No. The GAO said about 108 of the 264 leases were already being terminated before DOGE was formed, and the listed leases totaled about $53.5 million in savings rather than $113 million.
