The official Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) account on the social-media platform X ‘debunked’ a Reuters report that says DOGE 'doesn't exist' with a terse update, calling the report "fake news"
According to Reuters, the Trump administration recently claimed that the DOGE, once touted as a major government cost-cutting agency, has been disbanded with eight months remaining on its charter.
Read more: Trump's DOGE, formerly led by Musk, shuts down 8 months before term end: Report
What's going on with DOGE?
According to Reuters, the agency created under Donald Trump and led in part by Elon Musk, ceased to function as a centralized body.
Many of its operations are now absorbed by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). “That doesn’t exist,” OPM Director Scott Kupor told Reuters when asked about DOGE’s current status.
Several investigations revealed serious inconsistencies in DOGE's accounting and transparency. Despite the agency's previous claims to have discovered billions in savings from cancelled contracts and agency reform, a study from Ars Technica discovered that a high frequency of contract terminations would ultimately result in absolutely no savings.
{{/usCountry}}Several investigations revealed serious inconsistencies in DOGE's accounting and transparency. Despite the agency's previous claims to have discovered billions in savings from cancelled contracts and agency reform, a study from Ars Technica discovered that a high frequency of contract terminations would ultimately result in absolutely no savings.
{{/usCountry}}Associated Press reported in February that nearly 40% of the contracts DOGE says it cancelled are “expected to produce no savings,” because those contracts had already been fully obligated (i.e., the money was already committed or spent).
With the Reuters report gaining traction, DOGE’s official account disputed the report and reiterated its role in cost-cutting.
Read more: Elon Musk's DOGE using AI to snoop on federal agencies: Report
Budget claims vs reality
Analysts and watchdog groups have pointed out that many of DOGE’s headline figures, such as “$55 billion saved”, were either inaccurate or misleading.
A NPR report in March 2025 found that while DOGE claimed $55 billion in savings, its “Wall of Receipts” actually documented only $16.5 billion in contract cancellations. Many of the contracts listed were never truly terminated, or were “lines of credit” rather than real contracts.
The same NPR analysis noted a large typo: DOGE initially claimed an $8 billion ICE contract saved, but the real value was $8 million.
Reuters writes in a March report that DOGE’s early operation was riven by technical errors, including a website riddled with incorrect data about savings.
The current X post self claims that it has saved $335 million of the taxpayers' money; however, no credible source has confirmed the numbers posted by DOGE.