The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) has published a report finding issues that limit the transparency and reliability of the savings reported by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The audit covered savings data reported by the body from January 20, 2025, through July 7, 2026.
DOGE, which was not an official US government department, initially promised to slash $2 trillion in US federal spending. Elon Musk formerly led the body before leaving in May 2025.
The GAO stated that DOGE did not provide sufficient information to verify the method used to calculate 96% of its reported savings. The agency also noted that DOGE did not respond to requests for information and interviews.
Discrepancies in contracts and leases
DOGE claimed $110 billion in savings on an online 'Wall of Receipts' through cuts to contracts, grants, and leases. However, the GAO found that no termination action was taken on 2,503 of the 13,476 contracts DOGE claimed to have terminated. This included a claim of $1.7 billion in savings for terminating a US Department of Defense IT services contract that was never actually terminated.
Regarding leases, the GAO reported that savings from 264 leases cut by DOGE actually summed to $53.5 million. Of the 264 leases identified by DOGE, 108 were already in the termination process before the body was established. Those 108 leases accounted for approximately $15.3 million of the claimed savings.
96%
Of reported DOGE savings for which the GAO could not verify calculation methods
Total savings claims
DOGE reported different totals for its estimated savings. One source states DOGE tallied $215 billion in cuts including additional categories, while another source states the DOGE website claimed an estimated savings of $214 billion.
The GAO report was requested by US Democratic Senators Gary Peters and Richard Blumenthal. Senator Gary Peters stated that DOGE was 'a slapdash and deceptive effort that misled the American people'.
In a separate development, the Trump administration sought to re-hire US Department of Agriculture bird flu officials days after they were fired due to DOGE's cost-cutting.
Updates
The GAO revealed that $27.4 billion in claimed savings by DOGE were never executed, and another $7.2 billion lacked identifying information, while DOGE failed to apply its stated methodology to roughly half of its reported savings; officials also did not respond to inquiries about unreported data quality issues, though claims linking savings to USDA bird flu officials' firings remain unverified by the GAO.
The GAO revealed that $27.4 billion in claimed savings by DOGE were never executed, and another $7.2 billion lacked identifying information, while half the reported savings did not follow DOGE’s stated methodology; officials also failed to respond to inquiries about data quality issues, and the agency’s cost-cutting led to the firing of USDA bird flu officials.
The GAO revealed that $27.4 billion in claimed savings by DOGE were never executed, and DOGE could not verify 96% of its reported savings from canceled grants, while also failing to provide identifying information for another $7.2 billion; additionally, DOGE claimed $113 million in lease savings but actual savings totaled just $53.5 million, and officials did not respond to requests explaining why data quality issues were undisclosed.
The GAO found that $27.4 billion in claimed savings by DOGE was never executed, and another $7.2 billion lacked identifying information; further, DOGE could not verify 96% of its reported savings from canceled grants, and its claim of $113 million in lease savings was overstated — actual savings totaled just $53.5 million — while officials failed to respond to inquiries about data quality issues.
The GAO found that $27.4 billion in claimed savings were never executed, $7.2 billion lacked identifying information, and DOGE could not verify 96% of savings from canceled grants—while also overstating lease savings: claimed $113 million versus actual $53.5 million; officials did not respond to questions about data quality issues, and DOGE’s cost cuts led to the firing of USDA bird flu officials, despite its formal end on July 4, its 'Wall of Receipts' site remains active.
The GAO found that $27.4 billion in claimed savings by DOGE were never executed, and another $7.2 billion lacked identifying information; additionally, DOGE could not verify 96% of its reported savings from canceled grants, and its claimed $113 million in lease cuts was overstated—actual savings totaled just $53.5 million—while officials failed to respond to inquiries about data quality issues.
The GAO found that DOGE did not use its stated methodology for nearly half of its claimed savings, could not verify 96% of savings from canceled grants, and overstated lease savings—claiming $113 million when actual savings were $53.5 million; additionally, $27.4 billion in reported savings were never executed, and $7.2 billion lacked identifying details, with officials failing to explain the data gaps.
The GAO found that DOGE did not use its stated methodology for nearly half of its claimed savings, could not verify 96% of savings from canceled grants, and overstated lease cuts—claiming $113 million in savings when actual savings were $53.5 million; additionally, $27.4 billion in claimed savings were never executed, and $7.2 billion lacked identifying information, while officials failed to respond to questions about data quality issues.
The GAO found that DOGE did not use its stated methodology for about half of its reported savings, could not verify 96% of savings claimed from canceled grants, and overstated lease savings—claiming $113 million when actual savings were $53.5 million; additionally, $27.4 billion in claimed savings were never executed, and $7.2 billion lacked identifying information, while officials failed to respond to queries about data quality issues.
The GAO found that $27.4 billion in claimed savings were never executed, $7.2 billion lacked identifying information, and DOGE could not verify 96% of savings from canceled grants; further, while DOGE claimed $113 million in lease savings, actual savings totaled $53.5 million, and officials failed to respond to queries about data quality issues.
The GAO revealed that $27.4 billion in DOGE’s claimed savings were never executed, and an additional $7.2 billion lacked identifying information, with only 27.5% of contract savings verified under its own methodology—down from the initially reported 96% of grant savings being unverifiable; the agency also found DOGE removed $346 million in lease savings from its public tally after retracting 145 leases, while failing to provide training or financial disclosure records for its 206 personnel in the EOP due to nonresponsive officials.
The GAO revealed that $27.4 billion in DOGE-reported savings were never executed, and another $7.2 billion lacked identifying information, while only 27.5% of contract savings followed DOGE’s stated methodology — a sharp contrast to its earlier claim of broad compliance — and the agency could not verify 96% of grant-related savings, with discrepancies also found in lease claims: DOGE reported $49.2 billion in grant cuts and $113 million in lease savings, but actual lease savings totaled just $53.5 million.
The GAO revealed that $27.4 billion in DOGE-reported savings were never executed, and $7.2 billion lacked identifying information, while only 27.5% of contract savings followed DOGE’s stated methodology — contradicting earlier claims of broad compliance; additionally, DOGE removed $346 million in lease savings from its 'Wall of Receipts' after retracting 145 leases, and could not verify 96% of grant savings, with officials failing to respond to audit requests for records or explanations.
The GAO revealed that $27.4 billion in DOGE’s claimed savings were never executed, and $7.2 billion lacked identifying information, with only 27.5% of contract savings verified under its own methodology—down from the previously reported broad discrepancies—while DOGE also claimed $49.2 billion in grant cuts, 96% of which it could not verify, and removed $346 million in lease savings from its public tally after retracting 145 leases, despite the service’s formal termination on July 4.
The GAO revealed that $27.4 billion in DOGE-reported savings were never executed, and $7.2 billion lacked identifying information, while only 27.5% of contract savings followed DOGE’s stated methodology—down from the previously reported broad discrepancies—alongside a $59.5 million mismatch in lease savings claims, where $113 million was claimed but actual savings totaled $53.5 million; the agency also could not verify 96% of grant savings and noted DOGE’s failure to respond to requests for data quality explanations or personnel records.
The GAO revealed that $27.4 billion in DOGE’s claimed savings were never executed, and another $7.2 billion lacked identifying information, while 96% of reported grant savings could not be verified; further, DOGE claimed $49.2 billion in grant cuts but only followed its stated methodology for 27.5% of contract savings, with 60.7% unverified due to missing data, and officials declined to explain the omissions.
The GAO revealed that $27.4 billion in DOGE-reported savings were never executed, and $7.2 billion lacked identifying information, with only 27.5% of contract savings verified under DOGE’s own methodology—down from earlier claims of broader compliance—while DOGE also claimed $49.2 billion in grant cuts, 96% of which it could not verify, and removed $346 million in lease savings from its public tally after retracting 145 leases, despite the service’s formal termination on July 4.
The GAO revealed that $27.4 billion in DOGE-reported savings were never executed, and another $7.2 billion lacked identifying information, with 96% of grant-related savings unverifiable; DOGE claimed $49.2 billion in grant cuts but only followed its methodology for 27.5% of contract savings, while 60.7% violated it, and it removed $346 million in lease savings from its public tally after retracting 145 leases — all while EOP officials declined to provide training or disclosure records, and the USDS, renamed DOGE, remained active despite the service's formal termination.
The GAO revealed that $27.4 billion in DOGE’s claimed savings were never executed, and another $7.2 billion lacked identifying information, while only 27.5% of contract savings followed DOGE’s stated methodology—down from earlier claims of broader compliance—and 96% of grant savings could not be verified; additionally, DOGE removed $346 million in lease savings from its 'Wall of Receipts' after retracting 145 leases, and officials declined to explain data gaps or provide personnel records.
The GAO revealed that $27.4 billion in DOGE’s claimed savings were never executed, and an additional $7.2 billion lacked identifying information, with 96% of grant-related savings unverifiable; it also found DOGE claimed $49.2 billion in grant cuts but only followed its stated methodology for 27.5% of contract savings, while failing to account for 60.7% and leaving 11.8% untraceable due to missing data, all amid nonresponses from EOP officials.
The GAO found that $27.4 billion in DOGE’s claimed savings were never executed, $7.2 billion lacked identifying information, and 96% of grant-related savings could not be verified; further, DOGE claimed $49.2 billion in grant cuts but only followed its methodology for 27.5% of contract savings, with 60.7% unverified and 11.8% untraceable due to missing data, while its 'Wall of Receipts' retained $346 million in removed leases and agency personnel records remain inaccessible due to nonresponses from the EOP.
The GAO revealed that $27.4 billion in DOGE’s claimed savings were never executed, and another $7.2 billion lacked identifying information, with 96% of grant-related savings unverifiable; it also found DOGE claimed $49.2 billion in grant cuts but only followed its stated methodology for 27.5% of contract savings, while failing to account for 60.7%—and despite the DOGE service ending July 4, its 'Wall of Receipts' site remains active, even as 145 leases worth $346 million were quietly removed from the tally.
The GAO revealed that $27.4 billion in DOGE’s claimed savings were never executed, and another $7.2 billion lacked identifying information, while only 27.5% of contract savings followed DOGE’s stated methodology—down from the previously reported broad discrepancies—and 96% of grant savings could not be verified; additionally, DOGE removed $346 million in lease savings from its 'Wall of Receipts' after retracting 145 leases, and officials declined to explain data gaps or provide personnel records.
The GAO revealed that $27.4 billion in DOGE’s claimed savings were never executed, and another $7.2 billion lacked identifying information, while 96% of reported grant savings—totaling $49.2 billion—could not be verified; additionally, DOGE claimed $113 million in lease savings but actual savings were just $53.5 million, and it followed its own methodology for only 27.5% of contract savings, with 60.7% unverified due to missing data or noncompliance.
The GAO found that $27.4 billion in DOGE’s claimed savings were never executed, and another $7.2 billion lacked identifying information, while 96% of grant-related savings could not be verified; of $49.2 billion in grant savings claimed, none were substantiated, and for contract savings, DOGE followed its own methodology in only 27.5% of cases, with 60.7% unverified and 11.8% untraceable due to missing data — a pattern confirmed by Senator Gary Peters, who accused DOGE of claiming credit for pre-existing cuts and refusing to disclose its calculations.
The GAO found that $27.4 billion in DOGE’s claimed savings were never executed, $7.2 billion lacked identifying information, and 96% of grant-related savings could not be verified; further, DOGE claimed $49.2 billion in grant cuts but followed its own methodology for only 27.5% of contract savings, with 60.7% unverified and 11.8% untraceable due to missing data, while officials declined to explain the lack of transparency or provide training and disclosure records.
The GAO revealed that $27.4 billion in DOGE’s claimed savings were never executed, and another $7.2 billion lacked identifying information, while 96% of grant-related savings could not be verified; further, DOGE reported $49.2 billion in grant cuts but only followed its own methodology for 27.5% of contract savings, with 60.7% unverified and 11.8% untraceable due to missing data, despite having removed $346 million in lease savings from its public tally after retracting 145 leases.
The GAO revealed that $27.4 billion in DOGE’s claimed savings were never executed, and an additional $7.2 billion lacked identifying information, with 96% of grant-related savings unverifiable; it also found DOGE claimed $49.2 billion in grant cuts but only followed its stated methodology for 27.5% of contract savings, while 60.7% violated it and 11.8% could not be assessed due to missing data, all amid nonresponses from EOP officials.
The GAO revealed that $27.4 billion in DOGE’s claimed savings were never executed, and another $7.2 billion lacked identifying information, while 96% of grant-related savings could not be verified; it also found DOGE claimed $49.2 billion in grant cuts but only followed its own methodology for 27.5% of contract savings, with 60.7% unverified, and could not account for 11.8% due to missing data, all while officials declined to respond to inquiries about methodology, personnel training, or financial disclosures.
The GAO revealed that $27.4 billion in DOGE’s claimed savings were never executed, and another $7.2 billion lacked identifying information, while 96% of grant-related savings could not be verified; DOGE reported $49.2 billion in grant cuts but only followed its stated methodology for 27.5% of contract savings, with 60.7% unverified and 11.8% untraceable due to missing data, and despite its formal termination on July 4, the underlying US Digital Service remains active within the EOP.
The GAO revealed that $27.4 billion in claimed savings were never executed, and DOGE failed to provide identifying information for another $7.2 billion, while also being unable to verify 96% of its reported savings from canceled grants—contradicting earlier claims of broad methodology compliance; further, DOGE claimed $49.2 billion in grant cuts and $113 million in lease savings, but actual lease savings totaled just $53.5 million, with 145 leases later removed from its 'Wall of Receipts' after being withdrawn from termination consideration.
The GAO revealed that $27.4 billion in DOGE’s claimed savings were never executed, and an additional $7.2 billion lacked identifying information, while 96% of reported grant savings—totaling $49.2 billion—could not be verified; it also found DOGE followed its own methodology for only 27.5% of contract savings, with 60.7% unverified, and that 145 leases totaling $346 million were later removed from its 'Wall of Receipts' despite having been previously counted.
The GAO revealed that $27.4 billion in DOGE-reported savings were never executed, and $7.2 billion lacked identifying information, with 96% of grant-related savings unverifiable; it also found DOGE claimed $49.2 billion in grant cuts but followed its own methodology in only 27.5% of contract savings, while 60.7% violated it and 11.8% lacked sufficient data to assess, and despite DOGE’s formal termination on July 4, its 'Wall of Receipts' site remains active and 145 leases worth $346 million were later removed from the tally.
The GAO revealed that $27.4 billion in DOGE-reported savings were never executed, and $7.2 billion lacked identifying information, while 96% of claimed grant savings—totaling $49.2 billion—could not be verified; further, DOGE claimed $113 million in lease savings but actual savings were $53.5 million, and it followed its own methodology for only 27.5% of contract savings, with 60.7% unverified due to missing data or noncompliance.
The GAO revealed that $27.4 billion in DOGE-reported savings were never executed, and $7.2 billion lacked identifying information, with 96% of grant savings unverifiable; further, DOGE claimed $49.2 billion in grant cuts but followed its own methodology for only 27.5% of contract savings, while 60.7% violated it, and 11.8% could not be assessed due to missing data — all amid non-responses from EOP officials and the retention of the 'Wall of Receipts' site despite DOGE’s formal termination on July 4.
The GAO revealed that $27.4 billion in DOGE’s claimed savings were never executed, and an additional $7.2 billion lacked identifying information, while 96% of reported grant savings could not be verified; DOGE claimed $49.2 billion in grant cuts but only followed its stated methodology for 27.5% of contract savings, with 60.7% unverified due to missing data, and officials declined to explain these gaps or provide training or disclosure records.
The GAO revealed that $27.4 billion in DOGE’s claimed savings were never executed, and an additional $7.2 billion lacked identifying information, with 96% of grant-related savings unverifiable; it also found DOGE claimed $49.2 billion in grant cuts but followed its own methodology in only 27.5% of contract savings cases, while failing to account for 60.7% and leaving 11.8% untraceable due to missing data, and despite DOGE’s formal termination on July 4, its 'Wall of Receipts' site remains active with 145 leases retroactively removed, totaling $346 million in withdrawn claims.
The GAO revealed that $27.4 billion in DOGE’s claimed savings were never executed, and another $7.2 billion lacked identifying information, with 96% of grant-related savings unverifiable; it also found DOGE claimed $49.2 billion in grant cuts but followed its own methodology in only 27.5% of contract savings cases, while failing to provide data for 60.7% and leaving 11.8% unassessable due to missing identifiers, all amid nonresponses from EOP officials.
The GAO revealed that $27.4 billion in DOGE’s claimed savings were never executed, and an additional $7.2 billion lacked identifying information, while 96% of reported grant savings could not be verified; DOGE claimed $49.2 billion in grant cuts but only followed its methodology for 27.5% of contract savings, with 60.7% unverified and 11.8% untraceable due to missing data, and officials declined to explain the omissions or provide training or disclosure records.
The GAO revealed that $27.4 billion in DOGE-reported savings were never executed, and $7.2 billion lacked identifying information, with 96% of grant-related savings unverifiable; it also found DOGE claimed $49.2 billion in grant cuts but followed its own methodology for only 27.5% of contract savings, while failing to account for 60.7% and leaving 11.8% untraceable due to missing data, and noted that DOGE removed $346 million in lease savings from its public 'Wall of Receipts' after reversing termination decisions.
The GAO revealed that $27.4 billion in DOGE-reported savings were never executed, and an additional $7.2 billion lacked identifying information, with only 27.5% of contract savings verified using DOGE’s stated methodology—down from the initially claimed 96% accuracy for grant cuts, where $49.2 billion in savings were claimed but unverifiable; further, DOGE removed $346 million in lease savings from its 'Wall of Receipts' after retracting 145 leases, while officials declined to explain data gaps or provide personnel records.
The GAO found that $27.4 billion in DOGE’s claimed savings were never executed, and another $7.2 billion lacked identifying information, while only 27.5% of contract savings followed DOGE’s stated methodology — down from the previously reported broad discrepancies — with 96% of grant savings unverifiable and lease savings overstated by nearly $60 million; additionally, DOGE removed $346 million in lease savings from its public tally after retracting 145 terminated leases, and officials declined to explain data gaps or provide personnel records.
