$70m saved, 108 deals axed: Musk's watchdog DOGE torches bloated government contract

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, is once again making headlines with its aggressive push to cut what it sees as unnecessary federal spending. On Wednesday, the watchdog group revealed that it had canceled 108 contracts it labeled “wasteful,” boasting a ceiling value of $250 million and projected savings of $70 million.
Among the nixed agreements was a $14,000 commitment by the Department of Health and Human Services, earmarked for an “executive transformational leadership training program.” Another controversial item was a $5.2 million contract involving the US Office of Personnel Management, the federal government’s HR department, to “provide strategic advisory and assistance to improve and transform current processes and organizational systems.”
DOGE’s efforts haven’t gone unnoticed on the street. Fox News Digital recently interviewed Americans across several cities—Washington, DC; Detroit, Michigan; Houston, Texas; and Knoxville, Tennessee—to gather public opinion. Reactions were split. While some applauded the initiative to rein in bloated expenditures, others criticized the group for “trying to do their job with a sledgehammer.”
One of the group’s earlier moves included aiding the US Coast Guard in scrapping an “ineffective IT program” known as the Logistics Information Management System, resulting in a savings of $32.7 million.
DOGE has also taken aim at overseas development spending. A recent crackdown on the US African Development Foundation led to $51 million in cuts. That included funds previously used to market products like shea butter and pineapple juice, as well as facilities for mango drying.
The group says its mission is to increase accountability and shed light on excessive or redundant federal expenditures. In a post shared on X, DOGE said it remains committed to removing what it deems financial inefficiencies in government operations.