Elon Musk, in a recent Twitter exchange, floated the idea of issuing a $5,000 rebate per household through a DOGE Dividend scheme tied to alleged federal savings. The proposal, which hinges on disputed budget figures and awaits presidential approval, has sparked a debate over government spending priorities according to insiders.
The Department of Government Efficiency, a task force headed by Elon Musk, has vowed to reduce the deficit by cutting the federal budget. However, Musk is now considering the possibility of sending rebate checks to citizens using a portion of that money.
On Tuesday afternoon, Musk posted on Twitter/X that he “will check with the President” before further discussing the possibility of a “DOGE Dividend.”
This was in response to an idea put forth by James Fishback, cofounder and chief executive officer of the conservative investing firm Azoria. (Last year, the business introduced an ETF that did not support diversity, equity, and inclusion, excluding any firms that place a premium on recruiting DEI.)
Will check with the President
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 18, 2025
If DOGE achieves its goal of $2 trillion in savings—a figure that encompasses the majority of the government’s discretionary spending and from which Musk has since recanted—a 20% distribution to Americans, according to Fishback’s estimates, would amount to $5,000 per home.
He suggests waiting until DOGE ends in July of next year before sending the cheques.
According to DOGE’s website, the company has saved $55 billion thus far. A number of media investigations have highlighted inconsistencies with that statistic, such as a New York Times article that pointed out that one estimate of savings of $8 billion was actually only $8 million.
In addition, DOGE does not provide any evidence to support its savings claims in many of their assertions.
It is uncertain if DOGE could give the rebates without Congressional permission, even if it conclusively accomplishes its $2 trillion savings objective. However, the possibility of a $5,000 check is sure to excite many.
Although Republicans in Congress tend to go along with Trump’s objectives, there are others who would rather use the savings to extend expiring tax cuts or to pay down the national debt.
Furthermore, it should be mentioned that Musk has previously expressed some reservations about government stimulus programs. In 2021, he stated to Time magazine, “I think the government is inherently not a good steward of capital.”
Luis Gochoco is a seasoned managing editor and writer with over a decade of experience covering politics, technology, gaming, and entertainment news. With a keen eye for breaking stories and in-depth analysis, he has established himself as a trusted voice in digital journalism. Luis is one of the key forces behind the success of GameNGuide, contributing to 12 million views through engaging and high-traffic content. He also played a pivotal role in generating 8 million views on International Business Times, shaping the platform’s technology and gaming coverage.
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