DOGE exposes 4 million credit cards racking up $40 billion in Fiscal Year 24

In a shocking revelation that has sent ripples through the halls of Capitol Hill and beyond, Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has exposed an unprecedented level of government waste and inefficiency. According to a recent X post by DOGE, the U.S. government currently operates over 4 million active credit cards and accounts, responsible for a staggering 90 million transactions in Fiscal Year 24, totaling $40 billion in spending.

The scope of the problem

“The U.S. government currently has ~4.6M active credit cards/accounts, which processed ~90M unique transactions for ~$40B of spend[ing] in FY24,” DOGE stated in a tweet that has garnered over 3.1 million views. This revelation is not just a number; it represents a systemic issue that has been simmering beneath the surface of American governance for decades.

The breakdown of credit card use across federal agencies further illuminates the extent of the problem. The Department of Defense (DoD) leads the pack with the highest number of transactions, accounting for approximately 27.2 million purchases made across 2.4 million accounts. Other agencies with significant transaction volumes include the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Homeland Security and the General Services Administration.

Historical context: A legacy of opulence

This news is not just a current scandal but a symptom of a long-standing issue. The roots of government waste and corruption can be traced back to the post-World War II era, where the expansion of the federal bureaucracy and the Cold War necessitated increased spending. Over time, this spending became less about national security and more about maintaining a bloated, inefficient government apparatus.

The Clinton and Bush administrations made modest efforts to streamline government operations, but significant reform was often bogged down by partisan politics and entrenched interests. The Obama administration’s push for digital transformation and transparency made some inroads, but the true extent of government waste remained hidden from public view.

The Trump administration’s efforts to address this issue gained momentum with the creation of DOGE. President Donald Trump has long criticized the federal bureaucracy, describing it as a “Deep State” that operates against the interests of the American people. His recent memo directing government agencies to be “radically transparent” regarding their spending underscores this commitment to accountability.

A call to action: Trump’s crusade against waste

Trump’s memo, titled Promoting Transparency And Accountability, is a bold step in the right direction. It requires all departments and agencies to disclose details about terminated programs, cancelled contracts and discontinued grants to the fullest extent allowed by law. The memo asserts that the federal government “spends too much money on programs, contracts and grants that do not promote the interests of the American people.”

“For too long, taxpayers have subsidized ideological projects overseas and domestic organizations engaged in actions that undermine the national interest,” the memo states. “The American people have seen their tax dollars used to fund the passion projects of unelected bureaucrats rather than to advance the national interest.”

The memo highlights several examples of wasteful spending under the previous administration, including:

• Electric vehicle charging stations: The Biden administration spent billions on electric vehicle charging stations, yet only a fraction were completed.
• Environmental justice grant: The Trump administration recently canceled a $50 million environmental justice grant to an organization that believes “climate justice travels through a Free Palestine.”
• USAID grants: Numerous USAID grants have come under review, including $1.5 million to “advance diversity equity and inclusion in Serbia’s workplaces and business communities.”
• LGBT projects: The Biden administration gave nearly $4.6 million to help foreign groups promote LGBT projects like drag shows and pride parades.
• $20 billion parked funds: The Trump administration found $20 billion parked at a financial institution by the Biden administration to fund partisan pet projects.
• Contract cancellations: Trump’s Department of Education canceled $881 million in unnecessary contracts, including a $4.6 million contract just to coordinate Zoom and in-person meetings.
• DOGE’s recoveries: Trump’s DOGE has already recovered $1.9 billion in taxpayer funds “misplaced” by the Biden administration.

The path forward

DOGE is not just exposing the problem; it is actively working to simplify the program and reduce administrative costs. “We are working with these agencies to simplify the program and reduce admin costs,” DOGE stated. The department plans to provide an update on its efforts in one week, a timeline that underscores the urgency of the situation.

Trump’s administration is also taking a broader approach to government reform. The 10-to-1 deregulation initiative, which ensures every new rule is justified by clear benefits for taxpayers, is a critical component of this effort. The administration is aggressively investigating Biden-era programs that wasted billions of taxpayer dollars on inefficient and politically-driven projects, canceling unnecessary government contracts and grants that do not serve the national interest.

As the administration continues its efforts, one aspect is clear: the days of U.S. government waste and corruption are numbered.

yogaesoteric
February 23, 2025