Government Cuts Billions in Wasteful Contracts

In a surprising move, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) revealed that federal agencies have canceled or reduced 42 contracts worth $1. 5 billion over just five days. This action saved taxpayers $269 million. One of the contracts was for $1. 2 million to hire a full-time director for gender and social inclusion at the Millennium Challenge Corp. This isn't the first time DOGE has made such cuts. Just a week before, they announced the termination of 55 contracts worth $1. 6 billion over three days, saving $542 million. One of these was a $47 million State Department contract for armored personnel carriers and training for the Somalia National Army. Since January 1, DOGE has saved about $215 billion by canceling contracts, grants, and leases. With around 161 million federal taxpayers, this means each taxpayer has saved approximately $1, 335. 40.The departments that saved the most money include Health and Human Services, General Services Administration, Social Security Administration, Office of Personnel Management, and the Small Business Administration. The Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of the Air Force also made significant cuts, totaling billions of dollars. When it comes to grants, the highest amounts canceled were from the now-defunct United States Agency for International Development (USAID), totaling $6. 6 billion. USAID was shut down by the Trump Administration in July 2025. Meanwhile, the Treasury Department has uncovered large-scale government benefit fraud in Minnesota. According to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, billions of dollars meant for feeding hungry children, housing disabled seniors, and helping children in need were stolen by Somali fraud rings. These criminals used the money to buy real estate, luxury goods, vehicles, planes, and international flights. Following these incidents, President Donald Trump announced a fraud investigation targeting California. Additionally, Texas Governor Greg Abbott has directed state agencies to investigate social services for potential fraud.