Many Americans are eagerly waiting to hear more about the possible $5,000 stimulus checks linked to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). This so-called “super department”, supported by entrepreneur Elon Musk, has been in the news for its plans to cut federal spending and return those savings to taxpayers.
However, recent updates suggest that the originally expected amount of the check may be lower than $5,000, and no official approval has been given yet.
What Is the DOGE $5,000 Stimulus Check?
The idea behind the DOGE stimulus check is to reward taxpayers with a direct payment, funded by federal budget savings. DOGE, short for the Department of Government Efficiency, is a new department focused on reducing government waste, fraud, and unnecessary spending.
At first, Musk and other supporters hinted that each taxpayer might receive a stimulus check worth $5,000, but as new information comes out, that figure seems unlikely.
Elon Musk’s Latest Update: Lower Savings, Lower Checks
On April 10, 2025, during a Cabinet meeting, Elon Musk revealed that DOGE is now expecting to save around $150 billion, which is much lower than the previously projected $1 trillion.
If you divide that $150 billion among the estimated 161 million taxpayers in the U.S., it works out to about $931.68 per person. So, unless additional savings are announced, the potential stimulus check amount may be far less than $5,000.
Is the $5,000 DOGE Stimulus Check Approved?
As of now, no official proposal has been presented in Congress to issue DOGE stimulus checks. That means the plan is not yet approved or confirmed.
However, supporters of the initiative are still hopeful. In an interview with Chris Cuomo on April 8, one of the main promoters, James Fishback, said he strongly believes the payments will happen. He mentioned that he has had positive discussions with lawmakers, and also has the support of Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and Kevin Hasset, Director of the National Economic Council.
But despite this support, the plan still needs to go through the legal process in Congress before anything can be finalized.
Where Are the DOGE Savings Coming From?
DOGE says its $150 billion in savings comes from several sources, such as:
- Canceled government contracts and grants
- Reduction in fraud
- Asset sales
- Interest savings
- Cutting excess government staff
So far, only about 30% of the savings have been made public. These include details of canceled contracts and grants. The government says all data will be shared regularly through fpds.gov, but updates may have a delay of up to a month.