DOGE Reveals Over 4 Million Government Credit Cards Linked to 90 Million Transactions

DOGE Report Sheds Light on Federal Credit Card Spending

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), headed by Elon Musk, claims to have uncovered that the U.S. government processed nearly $40 billion in transactions using approximately 4.6 million active credit card accounts in the last fiscal year. The initiative, aimed at reducing government spending, announced its findings on social media platform X on Tuesday.

"The US government currently has ~4.6M active credit cards/accounts, which processed ~90M unique transactions for ~$40B of spend[ing] in FY24," DOGE stated in its post. jarmoluk / Pixabay

GSA Oversight: Managing Government Spending Since 1998

According to the breakdown, the Department of Defense accounts for the highest number of transactions and active credit card accounts, with about 2.4 million individual accounts and 27.2 million transactions. The General Services Administration (GSA) oversees the federal credit card program, which has been in place since 1998 and provides government workers with purchasing power for official expenses. United States Department of Defense / Wikimedia

Presidential Directive Calls for ‘Radical Transparency’ in Federal Spending

President Donald Trump has strongly supported DOGE’s cost-cutting efforts and has issued a directive for federal agencies to implement "radical transparency" in financial operations. "The American people have a right to see how the Federal Government has wasted their hard-earned wages," his memo asserted. The White House / Wikimedia

Despite Opposition, Musk’s Initiative Moves Forward on $1 Trillion Savings Goal

The announcement has sparked controversy, with critics arguing that Musk has been granted too much authority in government affairs. Legal challenges have also emerged, as some parties attempt to block the implementation of DOGE’s recommendations for budget cuts. Despite the pushback, Musk’s initiative continues to push forward with a goal of reducing federal spending by $1 trillion. Buaidh / Wikimedia

Watchdogs Raise Concerns Over Misuse of Government Credit Cards

Government watchdogs have previously criticized the misuse of taxpayer-funded credit cards. A recent audit of the Department of Defense’s travel charge program found that 12% of purchases on government-issued cards potentially violated spending policies, with $500,000 spent at casinos, mobile apps, bars, and sporting events. TheDigitalWay / Pixabay