Trump Considers Sending Americans Checks Using DOGE Savings

THE NEWS

The Trump administration is considering a "DOGE Dividend" that would distribute checks to U.S. taxpayers, funded by savings from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an initiative led by Elon Musk to cut federal spending.

Proposed by investment CEO James Fishback, the plan would allocate 20% of DOGE’s savings to taxpayers and 20% to debt reduction, with the remaining 60% unaccounted for in public statements8. While DOGE claims $55 billion in savings so far, independent analyses suggest this figure is inflated, with only $8.6 billion verified through canceled contracts36.

President Trump endorsed the idea at a Miami investment conference on February 20, 2025, stating it would incentivize Americans to report government waste.

TIMELINE

February 19, 2025: the DOGE Dividend

• James Fishback (adviser to DOGE) proposes the idea on social media, suggesting 20% of DOGE’s savings be returned to taxpayers. He estimates $5,000 per household if $2 trillion in cuts are achieved.

• Elon Musk responds, “Will check with the President,” elevating the proposal’s visibility.

• At a Miami conference, Trump announces the dividend is “under consideration,” framing it as a reward for identifying waste He claims savings could reach “hundreds of billions”.

REACTIONS

President Trump: "I love it. By doing this, Americans will tell us where there is waste. They’ll be reporting it themselves. They participate in the process of saving money."

Elon Musk: Advocates for “balancing the budget first” but supports redistributing savings.

James Fishback: Argues the dividend would boost public trust in government and incentivize workforce participation.

Preston Brashers (Heritage Foundation): Warns stimulus checks could reignite inflation, undermining DOGE’s anti-inflationary goals.

Matt Glassman (Georgetown University's Government Affairs Institute): "If the plan here is to take hypothetical savings over a 10-year period and cut checks for 20% of it up-front, that sounds both inflationary and likely pretty fiscally reckless."

WHAT'S NEXT

Congress must authorize any payout, complicating its passage amid debates over $5–$11 trillion in proposed tax cuts.

Republican fiscal hawks may oppose diverting savings from debt reduction.