President Donald Trump has expressed his strong support for a new initiative that could see a portion of savings from government efficiency efforts returned to U.S. citizens as a dividend, a concept he described as "fantastic." The proposal, known as the "DOGE dividend," stems from the efforts of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has been tasked with identifying and cutting unnecessary federal spending.
At an investment conference in Miami on Wednesday, Trump gave his approval for the idea, which could potentially see 20% of the savings generated by DOGE’s cost-cutting measures go directly to American taxpayers as a tax refund.
Trump later reiterated his support while aboard Air Force One, calling the proposal "great" and emphasizing its potential to engage citizens in reporting wasteful government spending.
Since taking office in January, Trump’s administration has been focused on reducing federal spending and reorganizing government structures.
As part of this agenda, Musk was brought on to lead DOGE with the goal of finding ways to eliminate inefficiencies.
The program has already resulted in significant staff cuts, including the firing or laying off of thousands of federal employees. However, the initiative has faced legal challenges as it pushes forward.
Earlier this week, in a FOX interview with Sean Hannity, both Trump and Musk suggested that DOGE’s efforts could uncover up to $1 trillion in excess federal spending.
The idea for the DOGE dividend gained traction after a post from X user James Fishback, who proposed that 20% of any savings found by DOGE be returned to American taxpayers as a tax refund. Fishback suggested that if DOGE successfully slashes $2 trillion in spending, 78 million taxpaying households could each receive a refund of approximately $5,000.
The remaining funds would go toward reducing the national debt.
In response, Musk indicated he would "check with the President" on the plan, and just a day later, Trump confirmed the idea during his Miami appearance.
"We would take 20% of the savings and return it to the American people," Trump explained. "Another 20% would go to paying down the national debt. It’s a great concept.
The idea is to incentivize people to report wasteful spending. They’ll be reporting it themselves."
While details on the final structure of the plan remain sparse, Trump confirmed the administration is seriously considering the proposal.
He indicated that the DOGE dividend could serve as an added incentive for taxpayers to participate in identifying waste within the federal government
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During his flight back to Washington, Trump was asked again about the concept. "I love it," he said when asked by reporters about Musk’s proposal.
While the plan’s potential to provide a direct benefit to U.S. citizens has garnered attention, Trump did not provide additional details about the remaining 60% of DOGE’s savings or how it might be allocated.
As the initiative progresses, further announcements are expected regarding the exact structure of the DOGE dividend and how it would be implemented.
The success of DOGE’s mission to find savings will undoubtedly play a key role in shaping the broader conversation around government spending and taxpayer involvement.