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DOGE is done. What did the agency accomplish?
As DOGE dissolves, questions remain about how close the agency came to fulfilling President Donald Trump's mandate.
Trump bucks and the politics of mailing checks
The checks started going out last week, nearly one million of them, and mostly to battleground states. With a return address for the U.S. Treasury and a letter enclosed signed by President Donald Trump, these one-time checks for $500 were ostensibly government rebates for Obamacare enrollees who overpaid. In the accompanying letter, however, Trump attacks his predecessor and talks about his record in office on an important issue he’s not polling well on, which makes it seem more like the most expensive political mailer in U.S. history. The average piece of direct mail costs between 30 cents and $3, according to Mail Processing Associates, a print, mail, and fulfillment company. At $500 a pop plus roughly 50 cents each to issue the paper check, the cost of Trump’s healthcare mailer sent to more than 950,000 enrollees comes in at more than $475 million. Trump’s midterm healthcare message “For years, the Biden Administration overcharged you to fund the operation of HealthCare dot gov,” Trump wrote in the letter. “That money belongs to hard-working Americans, not the Government, and now, I am returning it to you!” In the letter, Trump makes false and misleading claims about his administration’s record on healthcare costs, an issue Democrats have a 20 point advantage on over Republicans, according to a recent poll from KFF, a nonpartisan health policy think tank. Trump touts his administration’s TrumpRX program, which he claims is “delivering massive discounts.” However, new research from KFF found that of a selection of drugs available on the TrumpRX platform, just five were the lowest price, while 13 were the highest price. Trump also falsely claims in the letter that he’s fighting to lower healthcare costs. In reality, average monthly premium payment costs for enrollees rose 58% under Trump while marketplace sign-ups declined 5%, per KFF. Under Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, it’s estimated 10 million more Americans will be uninsured by 2034. You get a check and you get a check and you get a check Trump’s long promised cash outs to his fans, from his days as a casino operator and gameshow host to his presidency. During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the first Trump administration made the unprecedented move to put Trump’s name on checks that went out under the CARES Act (notably the $500 refund checks this time around don’t feature Trump’s name). Ever since, Trump’s been chasing that high. In his second term, Trump’s promised more stimulus that never arrived, like refund checks from DOGE cuts and tariffs, while he said at his party’s convention last month that he’d give out $5,000 checks to everyone if Republicans win in November. In reality, DOGE overstated its cost cutting and Trump’s government actually now spends more than former President Joe Biden’s, while Trump’s tariffs actually grew the trade deficit. His proposal for $5,000 checks would add about $1.2 trillion to the national debt. The problem is there’s no money to give. These $500 checks — plus $90 Medicare rebate checks also going out as well as $250 deposited this week in some Trump Accounts for kids courtesy Dell Technologies CEO Michael Dell and his wife Susan — represent the closest Trump’s going to get to making good on his promise to deliver cash fast. And the checks seem especially targeted. Though the $500 checks went out to enrollees in one of 30 states that use the federal HealthCare dot gov marketplace, a Reuters review found 71% of the payments, or $339 million, went to enrollees in 13 states that have the most competitive elections for governor and U.S. Senate. Most Americans don’t buy it Could Trump bucks sway the election? An Economist-YouGov poll found 57% of U.S. adults doubt Trump will deliver on his promise for $5,000 checks, compared to 21% who do. “I’m waiting on my DOGE check and I’m still waiting on my tariff check,” one 2024 Trump voter who’s since turned on him told a recent focus group. “It felt like kind of trying to buy people’s votes, which honestly felt like in elementary when the class president was like, hey we’re going to take you to the water park if you vote for me. It’s like, I don’t think it works like that.” But for voters in swing states who got a check, it could still matter. One survey published in 2022 found receiving a physically personalized check in the mail during the pandemic was associated with a much greater self-reported likelihood of voting for Trump in 2020, and those gains mainly came from out partisans. The issue for Trump comes if these checks are mostly going to Obamacare enrollees whose premiums have gone up by more than just $500 since he took office and who view the money as something like a bribe before the election rather than an actual long-term solution to lowering household costs. Spending $500.50 per mailer would be absurd as a normal campaign expenditure, but since Trump’s checks and letter are a government rebate, his campaign and super PAC didn’t have to spend a dime and he got out his message regardless. If enough voters in key states are swayed by the one-time payment, it could prove to be the best $0 the Trump campaign spent. Subscribe [ ](https://www.yellopolitics.com/p/why-independent-candidates-are-making) [ Why independent candidates are making independence central to their brand ](https://www.yellopolitics.com/p/why-independent-candidates-are-making) Hunter Schwarz · Oct 6 [ Read full story ](https://www.yellopolitics.com/p/why-independent-candidates-are-making) [ ](https://www.yellopolitics.com/p/these-designers-and-grocery-nerds) [ These designers and grocery nerds will brand Mamdani’s NYC grocery stores ](https://www.yellopolitics.com/p/these-designers-and-grocery-nerds) Hunter Schwarz · Oct 2 [ Read full story ](https://www.yellopolitics.com/p/these-designers-and-grocery-nerds) Trump wants to turn his first-ever golf course into a government course for presidents
Trump's chief of staff dishes on Elon Musk's time at DOGE
"He's an odd, odd duck, as I think geniuses are," Susie Wiles said of Elon Musk Musk. "You know, it's not helpful, but he is his own person."
Judge blasts Elon Musk over tweet when he was leading DOGE
A federal magistrate judge took issue with a tweet Elon Musk made in Feburary 2025 that accused a former FEMA official of "criminal action."
New disclosures reveal how DOGE actually worked
Depositions offer insight into what Elon Musk’s group was up to. Members describe a club-like atmosphere in which they slashed agencies with little oversight.
Trump administration admits DOGE accessed personal Social Security data
A DOGE employee signed an agreement to share Social Security data with the aim of overturning election results in certain states, according to a new court filing.
Elon Musk, AI and the antichrist: the biggest tech stories of 2025
A look back at the biggest tech stories of the year, from the rise and fall of Musk’s Doge to lucrative investments into AI
DOGE said it saved $1.7 billion by terminating a military health IT contract. GAO found the contract was never terminated.
DOGE reported $1.76 billion in savings from terminating a contract, but GAO found that the contract was never terminated and no funds were deobligated.
Susie Wiles Talks About The First Year of Trump’s Second Term (Part 1 of 2)
In the first half of ‘Vanity Fair’’s interview with Susie Wiles, the chief of staff discusses Elon Musk’s DOGE disaster, the FBI’s “incredible job” investigating January 6, and how Trump once berated her.
LIVE: Duval DOGE committee discusses Group Health Plan, telehealth, 2% lapse
The Duval DOGE committee is meeting on Tuesday at 11 a.m. to get an update from The Bailey Group on the city’s Group Health Plan and the 2% lapse.
Health Officials: DOGE Disruptions Upended $112 Million Epidemiology Contract
The NIH gave a no-bid extension to a health care company after DOGE scrambled plans for open competition.
Health department, NorthLakes Community Clinic offering local flu shot clinics
Appointments are encouraged, but walk-ins are welcome at all locations, according to the health department.
COGE report recommends New Hampshire split apart health department, embrace AI
It was one of Gov. Kelly Ayotte’s earliest priorities this year: A “Commission on Government Efficiency” that would review ways to reduce cost and waste in the New Hampshire government and whose acronym, COGE, bore a striking resemblance to DOGE, the controversial federal effort led by Elon Musk.
5 divided cartoons about the $5,000 Trump ploy
Artists take on missing DOGE checks, cash for votes and more
The year Trump broke the federal government
How DOGE and the White House carried out a once-unthinkable transformation of the nation’s sprawling bureaucracy.
Trump, DOGE and deep divides: Biggest Michigan politics stories of 2025
It was a monumental political year in Michigan, with the return of a divided state government and the return of President Donald Trump. These are the stories that defined the year, from the Michigan Capitol to the White House.
How payment data connects Dogecoin transactions to business records
From transaction hashes to invoice IDs, payment systems need a way to connect blockchain activity with the commercial records Maryland businesses use every day.
Eau Claire County Health Department releases measles and respiratory update
The Eau Claire City-County Health Department’s communicable disease team released statements about both measles and a respiratory update.
Trump’s Foreign Aid Overhaul Sent Millions More Dollars to Big U.S.-Based Contractors
While organizations in the developing world were nearly shut out, the big aid agencies DOGE had called wasteful received huge infusions of cash, a new analysis found.
The DOGE mindset is still central to the Trump administration's agenda as 2025 ends
The Department of Government Efficiency effort was one of the most consequential and controversial – if not entirely successful – changes the Trump administration made in 2025.
Elon Musk says he ‘got carried away’ in politics, defends DOGE
Elon Musk said he got "carried away" and a "little too involved in politics" during his time leading DOGE, but stood by the department's work.
Supreme Court sides with Trump administration in lawsuit seeking records on Elon Musk’s DOGE
The Trump administration argues that DOGE is exempt from FOIA’s requirements as a presidential advisory body.
Adrian Daub knows what tech wants from politics: ‘Control without responsibility’
The author of ‘What Tech Calls Governing’ on DOGE, AI, and our chances of pushing back
New careers, relocations and medical problems: How ex-federal workers’ lives have been upended since DOGE
CNN spoke with several former federal workers who were laid off or accepted buyouts amid DOGE’s aggressive and controversial cuts last year. They’ve had very different experiences since then.
Whistleblower claims ex-DOGE member says he took Social Security data to new job
The Social Security inspector general’s office is investigating allegations that the former DOGE engineer took sensitive data on a thumb drive in a major potential security breach, said people familiar with the process.
Holding the Veterans Affairs Secretary Accountable for the Severely Damaged Veterans’ Health Care System | American Postal Workers Union
In February 2025, representatives from Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) began working with the newly appointed Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins to identify alleged wasteful contracts and improve VA operations. DOGE cancelled hundreds of VA contracts and carried out thousands of staffing reductions, including the dismissal of probationary employees, under […]
Judge rules DOGE's cancellation of humanities grants was unconstitutional
She permanently barred the administration from terminating the grants
DOGE, wait times, Social Security solvency: What retirees should know
DOGE cuts worsened existing staff shortages at Social Security. Here's what beneficiaries should know about customer service and future payments.
Mamdani launched his own version of DOGE
Mayor Zohran Mamdani is launching his own government efficiency effort to cut red tape and reduce unnecessary spending in NYC.
Supreme Court Will Review Dispute Over Records From Elon Musk’s DOGE
A nonprofit watchdog group sued the Department of Government Efficiency, asserting that it should be subject to federal Freedom of Information Act discovery requests.
WTOP Explains: Trump’s impact on the global health landscape
WTOP’s Kay Perkins breaks down the impact of DOGE’s influence on public health and disease management in the U.S. and around the world.
DOGE was supposed to be dead. Its remnants are everywhere.
The fallout from Elon Musk’s cost-cutting venture can be found across the government if you know where to look.
See how federal workers respond to Elon Musk's '5 things' emails
Nonprofit Citizens for Constitutional Integrity released the first batch of emails from federal workers responding to Elon Musk's DOGE directive.
Built-in backlash: Musk’s toxicity complicates his return to politics
Jen Psaki looks at how Elon Musk's tone deafness on issues like data centers and his evident antisemitism, not to mention his image as a villain to many Americans since his disastrous implementation of DOGE at the start of Trump's second term, makes him a likely political liability for Republicans even as he hopes to help them financially. Jesse Lehrich and Rob Flaherty, co-hosts of the "Nobody Knows Anything" show, join to discuss.
‘I got carried away’: Elon Musk expresses regret about Doge and wading into Trump’s orbit
Billionaire in interview with the Economist admits he was too consumed by politics and shares predictions about AI
Hillsborough doctors warn against county DOGE report proposing cuts to healthcare plan
More than 20,000 residents rely on the Hillsborough County Health Care Plan for coverage, according to the Hillsborough County DOGE Liaison Committee.
Lawmakers weighed Wyoming Health Department budget cuts. They never came.
by Maggie Mullen, WyoFile After the Wyoming Freedom Caucus told voters last year it aimed to “DOGE” the state’s next two-year budget by
Kennedy Says US Health Agency Has 72,000 Staff, up From 62,000 After DOGE Cuts
WASHINGTON, April 16 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said on Thursday his department now has 72,000 employees and is looking to hire 12,000 more to make up for cuts led by the Department of Government Efficiency. The department had ...
The biggest drag on Virginia’s business ranking is Trump
CNBC's business rankings showed Virginia's economy was still ailing from DOGE cuts, though it got high ratings for infrastructure and education.
Trump spent 2025 attacking science. That could set back his “Genesis Mission.”
Trump’s AI “Manhattan Project” will fail if DOGE cuts are kept, critics say.
Debt Digest | Federal Debt is a Health Care Problem
Welcome David Ditch to the Debt Dispatch! We are pleased to announce a new regular contributor: David Ditch will be joining the Cato Institute as a Policy Analyst for Budget and Entitlement Policy later this week. David has more than a decade of experience in fiscal policy issues, with a particular focus on federal spending. He previously worked at the Senate Budget Committee, the Heritage Foundation, and the Economic Policy Innovation Center. David’s areas of expertise include appropriations, transportation, agriculture, federalism, grantmaking, and policy options for deficit reduction. Originally from the Rochester, N.Y. area, David has a BA in Economics and Political Science from the University of Rochester and a MA in Political Management from George Washington University. David currently lives in Arlington, VA. You may have enjoyed his earlier guest posts: CBO: New Highway Bill Has More Spending, Taxes, and Deficits Trump Administration’s Proposed Changes to Federal Grants Highlight Problems of Big Government Here are this week’s reading links and fiscal facts: The federal debt is largely a health care problem. In a new report, the Congressional Budget Office and Joint Committee on Taxation find that “In 2026, federal subsidies for health insurance, net of related payments to the government, are projected to equal $2.4 trillion, or 7.4 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). In CBO and JCT’s projections, those subsidies grow by 65 percent, reaching $3.9 trillion, or 8.4 percent of GDP, in 2036. Subsidies for Medicare contribute most to that overall growth, increasing by $900 billion. Over the entire 2026–2036 period, federal subsidies for health insurance total $33.6 trillion.” Cato’s Michael Cannon emphasizes, “The long-term federal debt problem is a health care problem. […] Only two categories of federal outlays will grow faster than gross domestic product (GDP): health care subsidies and interest payments on the debt. The former is, therefore, the primary driver of the latter.” The bond market fears deficits, not the loss of tariff revenue. Responding to a New York Times essay claiming tariff revenue has grown too important for a future administration to unwind, Cato’s Kyle Handley argues: “Bond investors are not attached to customs duties as a line item revenue source. They care about the government’s overall fiscal position.” He continues, “tariff revenue is a side hustle. And the Trump administration has already promised to dole out the funds through schemes like tariff dividend rebates, farm subsidies, and pay-fors on tax cuts or other spending.” Furthermore, “tariff revenue is simply not large enough to transform the government’s fiscal trajectory.” Take net interest for example: it “reached $970 billion in fiscal year 2025, absorbing 18.5 percent of federal receipts. Customs duties accounted for only 3.7 percent of receipts—and that was before refunds (see Figure 2).” Handley concludes, “The real bond-market concern is a large and growing interest bill, persistent budget deficits, and a political system unwilling to bring spending and revenue into alignment.” Medicare’s spending growth is driven by more volume and utilization. A Congressional Research Service report finds that Medicare spending “grew at an average annual rate of 7.3%” from 1985 through 2025, and the trustees project health care expenditures will keep rising “faster than gross domestic product (GDP) in most future years.” Citing CBO, the report attributes Medicare’s projected 2026–2036 spending growth to “23% from higher enrollment, 31% from inflation, and 47% from the growth of inflation-adjusted spending per beneficiary. In other words**, the largest single driver of Medicare spending growth during the next decade is expected to be higher volume and intensity of health care services.”** Boccia and Thakur explain: “as the economy grows, Medicare spending tends to grow at least as fast—and often faster—because the program automatically pays the bill for more and more healthcare consumption by seniors, even as prices rise.” The Fed has little control over market interest rates. Cato’s Jai Kedia documents that the Fed has held its rate target steady since December, yet “nearly every rate Americans actually borrow at has climbed over the same stretch.” Kedia continues, “The Fed did nothing, and the cost of credit went up anyway. […] Markets spent these months repricing macroeconomic events such as sticky core inflation, a volatile energy market driven by the conflict in the Middle East, and global trade disrupted by tariffs, among others. None of that required a policy change to show up in borrowing costs because markets, not the FOMC, set prices.” He concludes, “Accurately priced borrowing rates will come from credible disinflation and disciplined budgets and from a Fed content to follow the economy rather than pretend it leads it.” Nearly half of US farm income comes from taxpayers. Former Reagan OMB director David Stockman notes that “in the most recently completed full year (FY 2025) farmer incomes in the US totaled $97.8 billion, but fully 42.7% or $41.8 billion of that amount came from taxpayers, not the marketplace. Nor is this some kind of one-year aberration. If we look at the most recent decade as a whole, total farm income posted at nearly $708 billion, but, as indicated, fully $322 billion or 45% of this came compliments of US taxpayers.” Cato’s Chris Edwards explains why so little of that income is market-earned: “Farmers are businesspeople, but the government shields them from just about every type of weather and market risk. Furthermore, just about every part of the agricultural industry is subsidized, including insurance, loans, marketing, research, export sales, and land improvements.” The Debt Dispatch is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe
‘They put me on there to die’: conservatives unleash on GOP’s failures to carry out DOGE cost-cutting
The budget-slashing Department of Government Efficiency that upended the federal government at the start of President Donald Trump’s second term has stalled out on Capitol Hill, a reality that’s left conservative lawmakers fuming.
Eau Claire City-County Health Department to offer discounted well water testing
The health Department offers two different tests for purchase.
Elon Musk says DOGE was only 'somewhat successful' and he wouldn't do it again
The Tesla and SpaceX CEO made his remarks in a friendly interview with his aide and conservative influencer Katie Miller, who is married to White House adviser Stephen Miller.
Don't call it DOGE: What NYC thinks of Mamdani's efficiency effort
The Mamdani administration is hosting COGE hearings across NYC. I went to one — and heard residents testify about AI, efficiency, and city spending.
Musk’s doubts about DOGE spotlight political risks for U.S. Rep. Jen Kiggans
Republican U.S. Rep. Jen Kiggans of Virginia Beach is heading into the 2026 election cycle with one of the most precarious political balancing acts in the country, as her strong support for the Department of Government Efficiency collides with new doubts about the program — and the realities of representing a district heavily reliant on federal jobs.The challenge sharpened last week when Elon Musk, the billionaire tech executive who helped architect DOGE, told GOP podcaster Katie Miller that the initiative had been only “somewhat successful” and said bluntly that he would not do it again. In the interview, Musk acknowledged the political and practical blowback from DOGE, which was launched early in President Donald Trump’s second term with the stated goal of slashing government spending and reshaping the federal workforce.
Samsung announces Galaxy Watch 9 and Ultra 2, with new AI features
Sorry, no Classic model this year.
CDC lags in hiring behind other health agencies after DOGE cuts, union says
More than a year after cutting 30% of its workforce and disrupting dozens of public health programs, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is lagging in hiring.
WIRED Roundup: The 5 Tech and Politics Trends That Shaped 2025
In today’s episode of “Uncanny Valley,” we dive into five stories—from AI to DOGE—that encapsulate the year and give us clues as to what might unfold in 2026.
“Tech-Driven Prosperity & Right-Wing Racist Politics”: Quinn Slobodian on Elon Musk and SpaceX IPO
Ahead of the initial public offering for SpaceX, we speak with historian Quinn Slobodian, author of Muskism: A Guide for the Perplexed. He says Elon Musk is “creating a situation where he becomes deeply reliant on state contracts” as the U.S. government then becomes reliant on Musk. “It’s not about demolishing the government,” Slobodian says of his work with DOGE, the so-called Department of Government Efficiency that Musk led for the Trump administration. “It’s about making the government more compatible, ready for the kind of products that Musk offers, and to make him then an indispensable part of the infrastructure.” Slobodian goes on to warn that Musk’s wealth is helping to fuel his anti-immigrant, racist political ideology. “We really should be worried about the possibility of those things to live together: tech-driven prosperity and right-wing racist politics.”
Zohran Mamdani puts his democratic-socialist version of DOGE to the test
The New York mayor’s government efficiency effort is a potential path forward for Democrats around the country. But some are concerned he’s moving too fast.
In DOGE’s aftermath, federal health workers bristle at new performance reviews
Changes to the annual performance review process are the latest flashpoint in tensions between federal workers across the Department of Health and Human Services and the Trump administration, federal employees told STAT.
Will Musk ever be forced to explain what he did inside DOGE?
Elon Musk was ubiquitous in Washington last spring, wielding unprecedented power helping the Trump administration reshape and, in some cases, dismantle federal agencies across the government.
DOGE's 'Wall of Receipts' doesn't add up, government auditors say
The Government Accountability Office said some of the savings DOGE claims on its "Wall of Receipts" are either incorrect or don't have evidence.