U.S. President Donald Trump has enlisted billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) team to dig deep into Pentagon spending—warning that they are bound to uncover some “pretty bad” things.
Speaking at a White House press conference on Friday, Trump declared that Musk and DOGE would be combing through federal agencies, including the Pentagon and the Department of Education, in search of waste and fraud.
“Pentagon, [the Department of] Education—just everything. We’re going to go through everything,” Trump stated. “It was so bad with what we just went through with this horrible situation at USAID, and I guess 97% of the people there have been dismissed.”
The former president suggested that while USAID’s issues were extreme, similar problems could be lurking in other federal agencies. “You’re not going to find anything like that at some of the other agencies, but you’re going to find a lot. And I have instructed him [Elon Musk] to go check out Education, to check out the Pentagon, which is the military,” Trump continued.
“And you know, sadly, you will find some things that are pretty bad.”
Musk’s DOGE team has already been making waves, particularly with their controversial probe into USAID, which has led to mass firings amid allegations of financial mismanagement. Now, with their sights set on the Pentagon, questions are swirling about what they might uncover next.
Trump had officially established DOGE through an executive order on January 20, the day of his inauguration. According to the directive, its mission is to modernize federal technology and software to maximize governmental efficiency and productivity.
Musk, appointed as a “special government employee,” has been tasked with leading the charge against government waste. His team’s aggressive approach has sparked controversy, as agencies brace for scrutiny and potential overhauls.
As DOGE shifts its focus to the Pentagon, speculation is mounting: What secrets will Musk and his team unearth? And just how deep does the alleged waste and fraud go?
