Musk’s DOGE Uncovers Massive Waste in Democrat-Led States
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has uncovered nearly $382 million in fraudulent unemployment payments dating back to 2020, with the bulk of that total — $305 million — tied to California, New York, and Massachusetts, according to agency officials. Each of these states is governed entirely by Democrats.
DOGE's investigation identified these three blue strongholds as responsible for most of the illegal disbursements. California alone was linked to 68% of unemployment benefits paid out to parolees with criminal records or individuals flagged on the federal terrorism watchlist — payments that occurred under former President Joe Biden’s administration.
All three states operate under Democratic trifectas, meaning Democrats hold power in the governor’s office, state legislature, and key administrative roles like Attorney General and Secretary of State.
“This is another incredible discovery by the DOGE team, finding nearly $400 million in fraudulent unemployment payments. The Labor Department is committed to recovering Americans’ stolen tax dollars. We will catch these thieves and keep working to root out egregious fraud,” said Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, as quoted by Fox News.
Elon Musk, currently serving in a temporary government role as head of DOGE, is nearing the end of his 130-day term — the maximum allowed for “special government employees” under federal ethics rules. As his service winds down, Musk sat down with Fox News host Jesse Watters to share the top five most egregious examples of waste uncovered during his tenure.
DOGE was formed through an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on Inauguration Day, with the bold objective of slashing $2 trillion from the federal budget.
Taliban Ties to U.S. Funding
One of DOGE’s most controversial findings was the discovery that the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) had paid $132,000 to Mohammad Qasem Halimi — a former Taliban official who once served as Afghanistan’s Minister of Hajj and Religious Affairs. Halimi had previously been held for a year at Bagram Air Base after being captured by U.S. forces in 2002. On March 31, DOGE announced the termination of his contract.
Lavish School Spending Under Scrutiny
Another DOGE audit found that billions in COVID-19 relief funds intended for schools were used on questionable expenses, including hotel stays in Las Vegas and renting a Major League Baseball stadium.
Granite School District in Utah reportedly spent $86,000 on accommodations at Caesars Palace for a conference, while Santa Ana Unified School District in California allegedly used $393,000 in relief funds to rent a baseball stadium. These details were revealed in a report by Parents Defending Education shared by DOGE. Granite officials have since denied wrongdoing related to the Las Vegas conference.
Other questionable school spending included $60,000 on swimming pool passes and the purchase of an ice cream truck by a California school district.
‘Sesame Street’… Funded in Iraq
Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), chair of the Senate’s DOGE Caucus and a frequent collaborator with Musk, spotlighted a $20 million USAID grant that funded a localized version of “Sesame Street” in Iraq.
According to Ernst, the Biden administration approved the funding for a nonprofit called Sesame Workshop to produce the show “Ahlan Simsim Iraq.” The initiative was aimed at promoting cultural and religious tolerance among Iraqi children.
Billions in Waste Across Federal Agencies
DOGE’s mission was further supported by a March report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO), which revealed $162 billion in “improper payments” made by federal agencies last fiscal year. Although lower than the previous year by $74 billion, the figure remains substantial.
GAO data showed that most of the waste — about 75% — came from just five programs: Medicare/Medicaid, Health and Human Services, the Treasury Department, the Department of Agriculture, and the Small Business Administration.
Major Cuts to DEI Spending
DOGE also made headlines for slashing hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts linked to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives over the past few months.