President-elect Donald Trump’s new “Department of Government Efficiency,” is a government efficiency effort that has turned a public spotlight onto government waste and duplication in a way not done for years

Casey Harper
The Center Square

Billionaires Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy will take over a new effort to make the government more efficient.

President-elect Donald Trump’s new “Department of Government Efficiency,” or DOGE, is a government efficiency effort that has turned a public spotlight onto government waste and duplication in a way not done for years.

While journalists and nonprofits have been writing about examples of government waste during that time, very little of it actually got much attention.

Musk created a Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) account on X where he is asking followers for suggestions.

Aside from lopping off entire agencies, here are some examples of controversial federal spending that, based on Musk and Ramaswamy’s recent comments, could be in the line of fire for coming cuts:

• Billions to maintain office buildings, many of which are empty as employees work from home.
• $6 million for United States Agency for International Development to
  boost tourism in Egypt.
• $400 million of taxpayer dollars for presidential campaigns.
• $2.6 million in taxpayer dollars to fund a critical race theory program that trains students to promote CRT.
• Millions to train school teachers in DEI.
• Hundreds of millions of FEMA dollars for migrants.
• Tens of millions per year for DEI at the Pentagon.
• Nearly $32 million in COVID funding for luxury cars.
• $1.2 million in taxpayer dollars to find evidence that racism is to blame for poor sleep in minority communities. 
• $426,250 for an app to encourage Latino men to exercise.
• $28 million for camouflage uniforms that you can see.
• Billions in improper payments of COVID funds to businesses.
• $100 million for projects in wealthy Manhattan.
• $1 million for the West Harlem “Environmental Justice Center.”
• $50 million via “Environmental Justice” grant to anti-Israel group.
• $3 billion overall for “Environmental Justice” grants to groups, many of which are accused of partisanship.
• Part of New York’s $9 billion in federal COVID funding went to train staff in ‘culturally responsive sustaining instruction’ and ‘privilege’ and to recognize ‘equity warriors.’”
• $200,000 spent by the Department of Defense on Starbucks espresso machines
• Millions to study COVID “misinformation.” 

This report was first published by The Center Square.

---

Also read:

• 
  POLL: Do the proposed changes to the Clark County Council’s Rules of Procedure suggest the council lacked authority in 2025?
  A new reader poll asks whether proposed changes to the Clark County Council’s Rules of Procedure indicate the council lacked clear authority during a 2025 board removal.
• 
  Legislation from Rep. John Ley aiming to restore fairness and local control to transit governing boards, is scheduled for a public hearing
  Legislation introduced by Rep. John Ley seeks to revise state law governing transit boards and is scheduled for a public hearing later this month in Olympia.
• 
  Do the County Council’s proposed changes to Rules of Procedure prove Belkot was correct?
  Clark County Council discussions about rewriting its Rules of Procedure raise new questions about whether Michelle Belkot’s removal from the C-TRAN board last year lacked clear authority under existing rules.
• 
  Rep. David Stuebe sponsors bill to strengthen enforcement of auto insurance laws and protect Washington drivers
  Rep. David Stuebe has introduced HB 2308, a bill aimed at strengthening enforcement of Washington’s auto insurance laws and increasing accountability for repeat uninsured drivers.
• 
  Opinion: Vancouver councilors responsible for stoking irrational fears in the community
  Clark County Today Editor Ken Vance sharply criticizes a Vancouver City Council declaration on immigration enforcement, arguing it fuels fear, undermines law enforcement, and lacks supporting evidence.