❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) announced it has terminated federal contracts worth up to $2.8 billion, including $407 million in savings from 230 contracts cut last week.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: DOGE, established by President Donald J. Trump, along with various federal agencies such as the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Labor (DOL).
📍WHEN & WHERE: Updates were shared on July 12 via DOGE’s social media and website, with actions spanning across federal agencies nationwide.
🎯IMPACT: DOGE claims its initiatives have saved $190 billion to date, equating to $1,180 per taxpayer, while the Senate debates additional spending cuts.
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has revealed a significant initiative to cut federal spending, announcing that it has terminated contracts totaling as much as $2.8 billion. According to DOGE’s latest update, published on July 12, a total of 230 contracts were eliminated just last week, generating $407 million in savings.
Among the contracts recently canceled were a U.S. Department of Agriculture project described as a “Mexico sustainable landscapes consultant” and a Treasury Department program involving “mentoring, evaluation, learning specialist services in Haiti.” DOGE posted screenshots of the project descriptions on its official social media platforms to highlight examples of what it deemed unnecessary expenditures.
According to information provided on DOGE’s website, its ongoing work has resulted in estimated savings of approximately $190 billion since its inception. This figure translates to an average of $1,180 saved per taxpayer. The agency’s public database reports that around 11,700 federal contracts and 15,500 grants have been terminated to date, each category contributing roughly $44 billion in cuts. However, there have been some questions as to how legitimate some of these savings were during the period when Elon Musk fronted the agency.
As DOGE continues its cost-cutting mission, broader fiscal policy is also in focus. The U.S. Senate is preparing to vote on a proposed package of spending reductions, which includes a rescission of $9.4 billion from programs related to public broadcasting and foreign aid. President Donald J. Trump has voiced strong support for the plan, particularly targeting taxpayer funding for public media outlets.
“It is very important that all Republicans adhere to my Recissions Bill and, in particular, DEFUND THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING (PBS and NPR), which is worse than CNN & MSDNC put together,” Trump posted on Truth Social. He has warned GOP lawmakers that failure to support the bill may cost them his endorsement.
Despite changes in leadership, including Musk‘s departure in May, who previously served as a special government employee and spokesman for the initiative, DOGE remains active.
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