GAO Says DOGE 'Wall Of Receipts' Overstated Federal Savings By Billions

The Government Accountability Office said Thursday, August 6, 2026, that about $110 billion in savings claimed by DOGE were incorrect or lacked supporting evidence.^[1]

GAO found 108 of 264 leases that DOGE said it had terminated were already in the process of being eliminated before DOGE was created in January 2025.^[1] The agency said DOGE claimed $1.7 billion in savings from a Defense Health Agency IT contract that was identified for termination but never actually terminated or defunded.^[1] GAO also said DOGE did not provide sufficient information to verify the method used to calculate 96 percent of its reported grant savings.^[1] DOGE did not respond to GAO requests for information or interviews and formally concluded operations on July 4, 2026.^[1]

DOGE was created in January 2025. DOGE had promoted a public "wall of receipts" documenting what it called federal savings, but GAO's review found many entries were inaccurate, incomplete, or lacked underlying evidence.^[1]

GAO said the roughly $110 billion total was assessed as of July 7, 2026, and its findings call into question the accuracy of DOGE's public tally.^[1]

1. CBS News