Amid Democrats’ pushback, lawsuits, and threats to DOGE employees, the cuts keep coming—including almost $1 billion announced on Feb. 10.
After three weeks, Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has made over $1 billion in cuts, according to to numbers from the White House.
Some of the biggest savings reckoned by the White House stem from the cancellation of more than 100 contracts relating to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Trump’s day-one executive orders included one seeking to end DEI in the federal government. The White House estimates those cancellations alone saved over $1 billion.
DOGE also ended a $748 million contract for a new embassy in South Sudan.
Smaller cuts hit subscriptions for the news outlet Politico from NASA—$500,000—and $26 million in contracts for “executive coaching” and “strategic communication.”
DOGE’s X account unveiled almost $1 billion in additional cuts on the evening of Feb. 10.
They encompass $101 million worth of DEI-related training grants from the Department of Education, a department that Trump has floated eliminating, along with $881 million in other contracts involving it.
Today, the Department of Education terminated 29 DEI training grants totaling $101mm.
— Department of Government Efficiency (@DOGE) February 11, 2025
One sought to train teachers to “help students understand / interrogate the complex histories involved in oppression, and help students recognize areas of privilege and power on an individual…
Also today, the Department Of Education terminated 89 contracts worth $881mm.
— Department of Government Efficiency (@DOGE) February 11, 2025
One contractor was paid $1.5mm to “observe mailing and clerical operations” at a mail center.” https://t.co/VaAw1vNAoa
DOGE also publicly announced the end of $9 million in contracts with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, including for a “Women in Forest Carbon Initiative Mentorship Program” and “Central American Gender Assessment Consultant Services.”
Today, the Department of Agriculture terminated 18 contracts for a total of ~$9mm, including contracts for “Central American gender assessment consultant services”, “Brazil forest and gender consultant services”, and the “women in forest carbon initiative mentorship program.”
— Department of Government Efficiency (@DOGE) February 10, 2025
Rep. Blake Moore (R-Utah), co-chair of the bipartisan House DOGE Caucus, told The Epoch Times DOGE was “going through and creating some waves—and they’re definitely creating some airwaves.”
Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.) told The Epoch Times that DOGE was designed “to take from the poor to give to the rich.”
“I feel that a lot of it is illegal,” he added.
The DOGE Fight
DOGE is a time-limited organization repurposed from the United States Digital Services and situated in the Executive Office of the President. Before Election Day in 2024, Trump announced his intentions to create DOGE and place tech entrepreneur Musk, by that point a key campaign benefactor, at its helm.
Trump issued the executive order establishing DOGE on the first day of his new administration. The order mandates DOGE teams of at least four in every agency, placing them under a temporary organization “dedicated to advancing the President’s 18-month DOGE agenda.”
Its interactions with other executive-branch agencies, including the Department of Labor and the Treasury Department, have sparked protests attended by Democrats from the House and Senate, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.).
DOGE and its advocates have toted up wins and losses in the courts, where litigation concerning the commission and its employees is proliferating.
