Overview
- Federal outlays increased by about $248 billion in the first 11 months of 2025 versus 2024, with a Brookings tracker showing spending rising from $7.135 trillion to $7.558 trillion.
- The New York Times found DOGE’s 13 largest claimed contract savings were incorrect, including two Defense items totaling $7.9 billion that remained active.
- Only 12 of DOGE’s 40 biggest claims appeared to reflect real reductions, as reviewers documented double-counting, timeline errors, and lowered contract ceilings that did not cut spending.
- DOGE said it made more than 29,000 cuts to contracts, grants and personnel, but the initiative did not address fast-growing mandatory programs that drive most federal outlays.
- Federal employment fell roughly 9%—about 271,000 jobs—before DOGE ceased operating as a centralized unit after Elon Musk’s May departure, with reports of service disruptions from canceled work.