The United States Secretary of the Treasury, Scott Bessent, has announced that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) led by Elon Musk is dedicated to enhancing the operational efficiency of the federal government. At the same time, American taxpayers need not worry about the security of their personal data.
On Tuesday, February 18, Bessent stated in an interview with Fox News that the DOGE team has identified potential savings of around $500 billion so far. He said, “This is a very positive start.”
Bessent added that the ultimate cost savings plan of DOGE could potentially account for several percentage points of the United States’ Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Previously, DOGE also stated on its website, that the estimated total savings by the team amount to $550 billion and have released partial certificates detailing savings of $170 billion. Musk emphasized that his goal in cutting costs for the federal government is to achieve “maximum transparency.”
According to data on the DOGE website, the agency with the highest cost savings is still the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), followed by the Department of Education. Additionally, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Department of Agriculture (USDA), and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) are also among the top performers.
Addressing concerns about privacy raised by the team’s attempts to access taxpayer data, Bessent stressed that American citizens “do not need to worry.”
Bessent explained that within the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), there is only one member from DOGE, “reviewing outdated IT systems, that’s all they are doing.”
Bessent mentioned that there are two DOGE members within the Treasury Department, with “read-only access” to the payment systems, allowing them only to view data without the ability to make changes. He stated, “Their actions are under very strict limitations.”
Previously, Democratic lawmakers expressed privacy concerns about DOGE’s infiltration into federal government agencies and questioned the transparency of DOGE team operations regarding the American payment systems.
A lawsuit has been filed by Attorneys General from 19 states and 3 unions, hoping to block DOGE’s access to sensitive systems. These lawsuits accuse DOGE of obtaining unauthorized access, which could compromise the personal information security of American citizens.
During the interview, Bessent informed Fox News that he believes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy will sign an economic partnership agreement with the United States in exchange for support in combating Russia.
Bessent stated that President Trump hopes to create a closer economic bond between the Ukrainian and American people through this proposal. The agreement will also enable Trump to negotiate with Russia from a stronger position.
He mentioned that Trump wants to show the Ukrainian people that the United States stands by them while reassuring American taxpayers that the funds provided to Ukraine will yield returns.
Last week, Bessent visited Kyiv and met with Zelenskiy. At the time, Bessent indicated that the potential economic agreement that could be signed between Ukraine and the United States would provide post-war “security” for Ukraine.
Recently, the Trump administration explicitly stated its anticipation of Ukraine offering interests, including critical mineral resources, and pledged to purchase American energy in exchange for sustained military and economic support from the United States.
Trump has criticized the substantial aid provided to Ukraine in recent years and urged for a swift resolution to the conflict.
Earlier this week, officials from the United States and Russia held initial negotiations regarding the Ukraine conflict, excluding Ukraine and other European countries from the discussions.