DOGE claims $180 billion in savings as analysts find spending actually increased

DOGE claimed approximately $105 billion in savings by February 2025 — later inflating the figure to $180 billion by June 2025

Independent analysis (Harvard Kennedy School, AP) found verified confirmed savings closer to $2 billion as of February 2025 — a gap of over $100 billion from DOGE's claims

Musk promised $2 trillion in cuts, then scaled back to $1 trillion, then $150 billion as scrutiny mounted

Russell Vought at OMB blocked congressionally appropriated funds from reaching agencies — a potential impoundment of funds Congress had voted to spend

USAID lost 90% of its contracts in February 2025; monthly USAID spending fell by one-third in Q1 2025

CFPB was brought near-shutdown in February 2025 after DOGE directed leadership to halt work

Education Department announced nearly 50% staff cuts (roughly 1,300 of 3,600 employees) in February 2025

April 2025 federal spending was $594 billion — up 5% ($27 billion) from April 2024, showing overall spending rose despite workforce cuts

270,000+ federal workers lost jobs in the first months of DOGE operations — Cato called it the largest peacetime workforce reduction on record