When Elon Musk launched the Department of Government Efficiency—dubbed DOGE—he made a bold promise: slash $1 trillion from the federal budget by September 30, 2025. That deadline has passed. Musk has left Washington. And the promised savings? Nowhere near $1 trillion. Worse still: no one—not even Congress—knows exactly how much was actually cut, where the money went, or whether it was ever spent at all.
What Is DOGE—and Why Does It Matter?
DOGE, short for the Department of Government Efficiency, was Musk’s brainchild during his brief advisory role in the Trump administration. Marketed as a tech-driven fix for bureaucratic bloat, DOGE aimed to streamline federal spending using data analytics, automation, and aggressive cost-cutting. But its operations were shrouded in secrecy, with minimal transparency to lawmakers or the public.
Now, as the U.S. faces a government shutdown, the fallout from DOGE’s opaque maneuvers is coming into focus—and it’s raising serious constitutional concerns.
DOGE Budget Cuts: A Black Box
According to The New York Times, DOGE’s accounting practices were so crude and disjointed that even seasoned budget experts can’t determine the real impact of its actions . Congressional appropriators—the very lawmakers tasked with deciding how taxpayer dollars are spent—admit they’re in the dark.
“The fact that Congress, who constitutionally has the power of the purse, can’t figure out what’s been going on is a deep, deep, deep constitutional issue,” said Zach Moller of the think tank Third Way .
How Federal Appropriations Normally Work
To understand the gravity of DOGE’s interference, it helps to know how federal funding is supposed to function:
- Congress passes appropriations bills that allocate specific funds to agencies and programs.
- Agencies must spend that money by the end of the fiscal year (September 30) or risk losing it.
- The White House executes the budget—but cannot unilaterally cancel or redirect congressionally approved funds.
But under DOGE’s influence, large sums of congressionally approved money appear to have vanished—either withheld, delayed, or allowed to expire without use. This bypasses the legislative branch entirely, shifting power to the executive in a way critics call unconstitutional.
Where Did the Money Go?
No official tally exists. Some funds may have simply expired at midnight on September 30 because DOGE slowed or blocked disbursement. Other allocations might have been quietly reprogrammed under emergency authorities. Without transparent reporting, it’s impossible to say.
The Shutdown Connection
This uncertainty now fuels the Democratic argument in the government shutdown debate. If the executive branch can quietly nullify congressional spending decisions, what’s the point of passing a budget at all?
“It’s not just about numbers,” said one senior House aide who spoke on condition of anonymity. “It’s about who controls the public purse. And right now, that control is slipping away from Congress.”
Why Transparency Matters
Accountability isn’t just bureaucratic nicety—it’s foundational to democracy. When spending decisions happen behind closed doors, oversight evaporates. And when even appropriators can’t track where money went, public trust erodes.
Looking Ahead
With Musk gone and DOGE’s future uncertain, calls are growing for an independent audit of its activities. Lawmakers from both parties have hinted at hearings, though none have been scheduled. Until then, the true scale of DOGE’s budget cuts—and their legality—remains one of Washington’s most troubling mysteries.
