 "'We are paying them': Musk-led DOGE seeks $4 million from a federal agency")
Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is seeking millions of dollars from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) for its work, raising questions about transparency, financial accountability, and the agency’s true cost to taxpayers.
According to a draft agreement obtained by CNN, DOGE has asked OPM to fund 20 full-time positions for work carried out between January 20, 2025 and July 4, 2026. The estimated cost of this arrangement could exceed $4 million, with the agency required to make advance monthly payments for the services. The agreement also grants DOGE access to OPM’s data and systems, as well as operational and technical support.
“Some people think they are working for free. No, we are paying,” an OPM employee told CNN, adding that the agreement was effectively being imposed on the agency.
DOGE request could cost govt over $4 million
DOGE’s full-time staff, under the draft agreement, would be paid at the highest level of the federal general pay scale (GS-15) and the fifth highest step within that grade. Based on OPM’s January 2025 update, as reported by CNN, the base salary at this level is $141,817 annually, increasing to $189,950 in Washington, DC. Over 17.5 months, funding 20 such positions would amount to roughly $4.1 million.
DOGE controversy over costs and transparency
The department, previously known as the United States Digital Service before being renamed by President Donald Trump through an executive order, operates within the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This positioning shields it from federal public records laws, making details about its budget and spending difficult to verify.
While Musk and DOGE claim they are streamlining government operations and cutting wasteful spending, critics argue that the department’s efforts to downsize the federal workforce and access sensitive government data remain concerning. It is unclear whether DOGE has charged other agencies similarly or how much funding it has already received.
DOGE’s cost-cutting claims under scrutiny
Amid scrutiny over its funding, DOGE has continued to release updates on its purported cost-cutting measures. The department’s latest update claims to have saved the federal government $105 billion, a sharp increase from the $65 billion reported the previous week. However, these figures remain unverifiable, as DOGE has only published a small portion of the receipts supporting its claims.
DOGE’s ‘Wall of Receipts’, which lists cancelled contracts as evidence of savings, currently includes 2,334 terminated contracts valued at $8.8 billion — down from the previous week’s reported $9.6 billion, as reported by ABC News. The fluctuating numbers highlight the challenges in determining the exact financial impact of DOGE’s actions.
The department asserts that its savings come from a combination of asset sales, contract cancellations, fraud prevention, grant cuts, interest savings, regulatory rollbacks, and workforce reductions. However, media reports and experts have repeatedly questioned the accuracy of these claims, especially as some figures have been revised or deleted after public scrutiny.
Musk’s role in DOGE
Musk, appointed as a ‘special government employee’ under the Trump administration, has played an active role in shaping DOGE’s approach to federal spending. Officially an adviser, Musk has been a vocal critic of ‘government inefficiency’.
Musk has previously called government-funded non-governmental organisations (NGOs) a ‘nightmare’ and suggested they serve as financial loopholes. He has cited examples of alleged waste, such as a $12 billion Navy allocation that he claims resulted in no additional submarines.
While DOGE presents itself as a necessary force to rein in government waste, the lack of clarity surrounding its own budget and operational costs has drawn criticism.