Where DOGE isn’t cutting
Polygraph | Newsletter n°294 | 13 Mar 2025
IN THIS NEWSLETTER: A breakdown of where DOGE avoids making cuts.
Situation
Anyone serious about cutting government waste, fraud, and abuse would start with the Pentagon. Despite the massive sums of public funds at play, the Pentagon has never passed an audit. What’s more, investigations have found systematic price gouging by contractors on nearly everything the Pentagon buys. With that in mind, here are a few bullet points on where DOGE isn’t cutting.
A few bullet points on where DOGE isn’t cutting
Largest buyer of goods and services in the world: US government
Amount the US government spent on contracts for goods and services in 2024: $755 billion
Amount one government agency—the Pentagon—spent on contracts in 2024: $454 billion
Pentagon contracts as a share of total federal contracts: 60%
Amount DOGE claims to have saved by terminating federal contracts: $18 billion
Hypothetical DOGE cut to Pentagon contracts, if cuts were proportional: $11 billion
Actual DOGE cut to Pentagon contracts: $8.5 million
Cuts to Pentagon contracts as a share of all contract cuts: <0.05%
Cuts to Pentagon contracts as a share of annual Pentagon contracts: <0.002%
Top Pentagon contractor by market valuation: SpaceX
Pentagon contracts awarded to SpaceX: $5.6 billion
SpaceX CEO: Elon Musk
DOGE leader: Elon Musk
^Alt text for screen readers: DOGE barely bothers with Pentagon contracts. Breakdown of DOGE’s claimed federal contract cancellations, by type. This pie chart shows that 0.05% of canceled contracts are military contracts, the rest being non-military. Figures refer to contract value. Data: DOGE, accessed 13 March 2025. Note: DOGE data is less than reliable.
SPECIAL THANKS TO: Abe B., Alan F., Amin, Andrew R., AT., BartB., BeepBoop, Ben, Ben C.,* Bill S., Bob N., Brett S., Byron D., Chris, Chris G., Cole H., D. Kepler, Daniel M., David J., David S.,* David V.,* David M., Elizabeth R., Errol S., Foundart, Francis M., Frank R., Gary W., Gladwyn S., Graham P., Griffin R., Hunter S., Irene B., Isaac, Isaac L., James H., James N., Jcowens, Jeff, Jennifer, Jennifer J., Jessica S., Jerry S., Joe R., John, John, John A., John K., John M., Jonathan S., Joseph B., Joshua R., Julia G., Katrina H., Kheng L., Lea S., Leah A., Leila CL., Linda B., Linda H., Lindsay, Lindsay S.,* Lora L., Mapraputa, Marie R., Mark L., Mary Z., Marty, Matthew H.,* Megan., Melanie B., Michael S., Mitchell P., Nick B., Noah K., Norbert H., Omar A., Omar D.,* Peter M., Phil, Philip L., Rosemary K., Sari G., Scarlet, Scott H., Silversurfer, Soh, Springseep, Stan C., TBE, Teddie G., Theresa A., Themadking, Tim C., Timbuk T., Tony L., Tony T., Victor S., Wayne H., William P.
* = founding member
The Pentagon, just like Israel, is apparently untouchable. Between the both of them they make a good team. One of them gets us into wars and the other profits from them.