DOGE Repeatedly Lists Same Federal Contracts Under Proclaimed Savings As Task Force's Claims Are Picked Apart

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is facing scrutiny after its latest round of cost-cutting "receipts" revealed repeated listings of the same federal contracts under inflated savings claims.

DOGE released documentation of canceled contracts and other cost-saving measures as proof of its success. However, journalists and analysts quickly identified inconsistencies in its reports, with previous claims of $16.6 billion in savings now revised downward to $9.6 billion, even as DOGE continues to assert a total savings figure of $65 billion, CBS News reported.

Many of the listed contracts are duplicate entries, and some savings calculations are based on incorrect or exaggerated figures.

DOGE initially listed 1,127 receipts, but now has an updated batch of 2,299 contract cancellations and spending cuts on its "wall of receipts," doubling the previous list. However, 34% of the new entries reported zero savings, and many contracts appeared multiple times under different names, inflating the agency's reported budget reductions.

In one instance, a $25 million Department of Agriculture contract for DEI training was mistakenly counted four times, claiming $100 million in savings. Other errors included double-counted contract cancellations, misreported amounts and cases where previously spent funds were still listed as savings.

Despite these discrepancies, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended DOGE's work, holding up the printed receipts at a press briefing and insisting that the savings were real.

Still, experts, including government contracting consultant Michael LeJeune, explained to CBS News that many listed contracts were either unfunded or underutilized, raising even more questions about the reported savings.

Meanwhile, analysts are calling for an independent audit to verify the agency's savings claims.