US President Donald Trump is weighing a proposal to distribute a portion of federal cost-cutting savings directly to taxpayers in the form of DOGE dividend checks.
The plan, which has gained traction on social media, suggests using 20% of the savings identified by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to issue refunds to American households—potentially amounting to a $5,000 doge check per household.
The idea gained momentum after Elon Musk responded to a post on X from investment firm CEO James Fishback.
Fishback proposed that rather than allowing government savings to disappear into bureaucracy, the administration should return some of it to taxpayers.
President Trump and @ElonMusk should announce a ‘DOGE Dividend’—a tax refund check sent to every taxpayer, funded exclusively with a portion of the total savings delivered by DOGE. 🧵
“It was their money in the first place!” he wrote. Musk, who has been a vocal supporter of reducing federal spending, replied, “Will check with the President.”
Will check with the President
DOGE savings and fiscal policy
The DOGE initiative, launched under the Trump administration, aims to eliminate wasteful government spending, reduce inefficiencies, and cut down on fraud.
The agency claims to have saved $55 billion through various measures, including contract cancellations, regulatory rollbacks, and workforce reductions.
However, recent reports from Bloomberg and The New York Times suggest the actual savings may be significantly lower, with only $16.6 billion verified on DOGE’s official records.
Musk has set an ambitious target of $2 trillion in federal spending cuts, a goal he reiterated during an appearance with Trump on Fox News’ Hannity.
If achieved, Fishback estimates that allocating 20% of those savings would provide $5,000 doge checks to each of the 78 million US taxpaying households.
The remaining amount would be used to pay down the national debt.
While Musk has shown interest in the DOGE savings refund idea, he has also stressed the importance of closing the budget deficit.
Responding to concerns from commentator Scott Adams, Musk wrote on X that balancing the budget should be the “priority.”
The US federal budget deficit exceeded $1.8 trillion in fiscal year 2024 and is projected to surpass $2 trillion annually in the coming years, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).
Trump’s administration faces a tough challenge in closing that gap while considering tax refunds under the doge dividend check program.
What is Dodge Trump?
The term “doge trump” has been trending online, referring to Trump’s involvement in the DOGE initiative and his administration’s broader push for government efficiency.
The phrase has gained popularity as discussions over taxpayer refunds and budget cuts intensify.
For now, the idea remains under consideration, with Trump and Musk continuing discussions on the best approach to reducing government waste while delivering financial relief to taxpayers.
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