It probably won’t sit well with fiscal conservatives and likely wouldn’t help with inflation. Still, Elon Musk and Donald Trump earlier in the week said that they may promote a $5,000 “DOGE Dividend” to every American taxpayer, a concept promoted as a way to return savings generated by government spending cuts.
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) recently reported that its cost-cutting efforts have saved taxpayers $55 billion in under a month. The agency attributes these savings to uncovering fraudulent expenses, canceling contracts and leases, and selling off government assets, writes The Washington Post.
Speaking in the Miami area, Trump touted the “new concept” floated by James Fishback, CEO of the investment firm Azoria, to give 20 percent of DOGE’s savings to the public. Under the plan, taxpayers would receive direct payments — “DOGE dividend” checks — funded by the savings generated by DOGE.
Trump spoke at the FII PRIORITY Summit in Miami Beach, where DOGE leader and Trump adviser Elon Musk was in attendance.
“There’s even under consideration a new concept where we give 20 percent of the DOGE savings to American citizens,” Trump said. “The numbers are incredible, Elon — so many millions, billions, hundreds of billions.”
Fishback said the plan could deliver roughly $5,000 per household for the roughly 79 million households in which residents pay federal income tax. That number is based on Musk’s goal of cutting $2 trillion from the federal budget, meaning the government would distribute $400 billion — 20 percent of the savings — back to taxpayers.
The agency reports that its savings have primarily come from reductions in the budgets of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the Department of Education, the Office of Personnel Management, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of Agriculture.
While the administration promotes these savings as a win for fiscal responsibility, the measures have sparked controversy. Critics, including Democratic lawmakers and federal employees, argue that the cuts disproportionately impact social programs and weaken the government’s ability to function, noted USA Today.
As the administration continues to push forward with its budget-cutting policies, it remains uncertain whether the proposed “DOGE Dividend” will gain momentum. For now, Musk’s interest in the idea has intensified the debate over how taxpayer savings should be used and who should have the power to make those decisions.
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Give it back to those who earned it! Government (both parties, all levels) need to realize that every dollar is NOT their property!
I agree. Some retired people living only on SS and don’t need to pay taxes should also get a piece of the action. Theie on SS because they paid taxes for 50 or more years before retiring.
The CEO of an investment company suggested the “DOGE Dividend”. Musk and Trump have replied it is worth considering. They HAVE NOT “pushed” the idea.