US watchdog finds DOGE savings claims largely unverifiable
A US Government Accountability Office report has discredited the Department of Government Efficiency’s financial claims, finding that most contract savings did not follow stated methodology and lease savings were exaggerated.
The US Government Accountability Office has released a report discrediting savings claims made by the Department of Government Efficiency, stating that 96 per cent of reported grant savings were unverifiable. The audit found that DOGE failed to follow its own methodology for most contract savings and exaggerated lease savings. The report also highlighted issues with DOGE personnel ethics training and data transparency, noting that the broader US Digital Service entity remains active despite the temporary DOGE service's mandate expiring in July 2026.
The GAO, the auditing and investigating arm of Congress, issued the report in response to a June 2025 request from Senators Gary Peters and Richard Blumenthal. The audit examined a portion of the claimed savings, specifically $110.3 billion related to contracts, grants, and leases. DOGE had reported $49.2 billion in savings from cutting grants, but the GAO found that almost none of this could be verified. The report noted that the Wall of Receipts did not provide sufficient information to verify the method used to calculate savings for 13,553 of the 15,887 grants reported as terminated.
Regarding contracts, the GAO found that DOGE followed its stated methodology for only 27.5 per cent of reported savings. For 60.7 per cent of savings, the department did not follow the methodology, and for the remaining 11.8 per cent, it could not be determined due to missing contract identifiers. The GAO stated that even where methodology was followed, the department failed to account for complexities such as termination settlement costs, meaning reported savings were likely misstated.
DOGE claimed $113 million in lease savings, but the GAO found the actual savings listed were $53.5 million. Of that verified amount, $15.3 million was already in process for termination before DOGE was established. The report noted that DOGE had scaled back some claims in early 2025, removing 145 leases worth $346 million from its Wall of Receipts after they were no longer being considered for termination.
The GAO also identified 206 DOGE personnel in the Executive Office of the President, many detailed to other agencies. While the White House stated that all employees are required to complete ethics training and financial disclosures, it did not provide evidence to the GAO. The audit highlighted that the temporary DOGE service’s mandate expired on 4 July 2026, but the broader US Digital Service entity remains active within the Executive Office of the President.
