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The newly formed Department of Government Efficiency has identified California's high-speed rail project as a major example of government waste. Initially projected to cost $33 billion in 2008, costs have now soared to nearly $128 billion, with no passengers transported as of 2024. The project has received $6.8 billion in federal funds and is seeking an additional $8 billion, yet remains largely undefined. Past leaders of the project have expressed doubts about its viability, with significant funding gaps still present. Despite high taxpayer contributions, California's infrastructure remains poor. The high-speed rail project is deemed a waste of taxpayer dollars, failing to address current or future transportation needs. It's time to end federal support for this project and focus on more efficient solutions.

As senior advisor at the United States Agency for Global Media, the speaker is working on behalf of the American people and President Trump's administration. The speaker claims to be horrified by what they are learning about the agency. The Biden administration allegedly signed a 15-year lease for a new building costing taxpayers nearly a quarter of a billion dollars, despite already having a paid-off building that could have been renovated. The new building has fancy conference rooms, bridges to nowhere, waterfalls, Italian marble, and leather furnishings. The speaker also alleges that contracts were changed just before the new administration arrived to make it less transparent to track where money is going. The speaker says they are working to cancel contracts, save money, downsize, and prevent misuse of taxpayer dollars.

Tim Burkship reports from the Doge subcommittee, chaired by Marjorie Taylor Greene, that he always leaves more frustrated than when he arrived. The subcommittee found that the government paid $200,000 for solar-powered picnic tables purchased by the CDC during COVID. The purpose of the solar power is unclear, but it may have included a charging station. Chairs in the building cost $2,700 and $1,600 each. The GSA headquarters is reportedly only 14% occupied. Burkship believes the government needs to sell vacant property it doesn't need and put it back on the tax rolls, as he did when he was mayor of North County. He estimates this issue costs billions of dollars nationwide.

As governor, I saw firsthand government waste, but what Elon is finding is stunning. One agency had 13,000 employees but 37,000 software licenses, many unused. With millions of federal employees and credit cards, the opportunities for fraud are immense. Shockingly, there are millions of dead people still in the Social Security system. We need to address the low-hanging fruit. Keep good employees but eliminate unnecessary positions. I was in a meeting where it was revealed there are more government credit cards than employees, and the number of people on Social Security rolls is incredible. Checks go out automatically, and nobody is checking. Contract officers retire, but the money keeps flowing. Even diligent companies struggle to stop improper payments. Agencies like USAID don't track appropriations. Basic changes are needed to ensure taxpayer dollars are spent wisely.

The newly formed Department of Government Efficiency has identified California's high-speed rail project as a major example of government waste. Originally projected to cost $33 billion in 2008, costs have soared to nearly $128 billion, with no passengers transported as of 2024. The project has received $6.8 billion in federal funds and is requesting an additional $8 billion, yet remains largely undefined. Past leaders of the project have expressed doubts about its viability, with one stating it is a "loser." Despite billions spent, there is still a $100 billion funding gap. The project is outdated, and federal support is prolonging its failure, diverting funds from other pressing infrastructure needs in California. Ending federal support is necessary to stop this waste of taxpayer dollars and address the state's transportation issues effectively.

I want to share some information from a friend at the Department of Veterans Affairs regarding their building portfolio. At 810 Vermont Avenue, a GSA-owned building, we're paying $27.2 million a month in rent for a 618,000 square foot building with 2,483 seats, but only 387 average logins, resulting in a 16% occupancy rate. Other examples include 811 Vermont Avenue, costing $13 million a month with a 10% occupancy rate, and 18,000 G Street, at $11.3 million a month with an 11% occupancy rate. Similarly, 425 I Street has a $12.7 million monthly rent and a 10% occupancy rate, while 801 I Street costs $1.1 million a month with only a 9% occupancy rate. It seems like we are paying a lot for buildings that are not being used.

The EPA headquarters in DC houses a museum, built and curated by the Biden administration for $4 million, dedicated to environmental justice and climate change. Its annual operating cost is $600,000. The museum's timeline omits any mention of President Trump's first administration. From May 2024 through the previous month, the museum had 1,909 public visitors, costing taxpayers $315 per visitor. Due to low public attendance and high operating costs, the museum will be shut down. This decision aims to be an exceptional steward of taxpayer dollars. The agency will focus on providing cleaner, healthier, and safer land, air, and water without spending over half a million dollars on a museum presenting an ideologically slanted story of the EPA. The speaker claims that under President Trump, the practice of burning tax dollars on pet projects will end.

The speaker states a commitment to root out wasteful spending in government, emphasizing its importance due to inherited deficits. Despite bipartisan support for cutting waste, the administration launched its own initiative to improve government efficiency. The initiative includes eliminating unneeded government buildings to save billions. Examples of savings include $2 million annually on cellphone bills at the Department of Commerce and tens of millions at Homeland Security through procurement changes. The Vice President is tasked with identifying systemic improvements in travel, transportation, and IT services. An executive order directs agencies to cut spending in these areas by 20%, leveraging technology for better results at lower costs, potentially saving billions over several years. The speaker thanks officials for their dedication to the project.

The government is initiating a campaign to cut waste, targeting misspent tax dollars across all agencies. This includes eliminating spending on things like a website for the "Fiddling Foresters," a folk music ensemble of forest rangers, and consolidating or eliminating hundreds of similar unnecessary sites. The government also aims to sell unused buildings, such as a massive empty warehouse in Brooklyn, that have been held up by red tape. The goal is to instill a new culture of transparency and accountability in government, ensuring it functions better and eliminates fraud and waste. The Vice President will lead this effort, focusing on relentless prioritization and sophisticated methods to achieve these goals.

The government is initiating a campaign to cut waste, led by the Vice President, to eliminate misspent tax dollars across all agencies. This includes cutting back on billions of dollars in programs and eliminating pointless waste, even if there wasn't a deficit. Examples of waste include a website devoted to the "Fiddling Foresters" and thousands of unused buildings, such as a massive empty warehouse in Brooklyn. Red tape has prevented the sale of these buildings, but the government plans to get rid of them. The goal is to make government work for the people by pursuing every dime of waste. The administration aims to instill a new culture of transparency and accountability, eliminating fraud and waste, and ensuring future administrations do the same.

The speaker emphasizes a commitment to rooting out wasteful spending in government, highlighting its importance due to inherited deficits. While Congressional action is preferred, the administration is independently pursuing waste reduction. An initiative identified thousands of unused government buildings for disposal, potentially saving billions. Federal employees contributed nearly 20,000 suggestions for efficiency. Examples include saving millions on cellphone bills and improving procurement processes. The Vice President is working with agency secretaries to improve travel, transportation, and IT services. An executive order mandates a 20% spending reduction in these areas, with cabinet members reporting progress. These steps aim to save taxpayers billions and deliver more efficient government, even without Congressional action.

The speaker states that eliminating the deficit requires cutting billions from valued programs, but eliminating pointless waste should be easy, even if the cuts are small. The federal government funds a website for the Fiddling Foresters, a folk music ensemble of forest rangers, and hundreds of similar sites should be consolidated or eliminated. Taxpayers also fund thousands of unused buildings, including a massive, empty warehouse in Brooklyn that the government has owned for a decade. Red tape and Washington politics have prevented the sale of these buildings, but the speaker claims they are cutting through the red tape and plan to get rid of the buildings in the months ahead. The speaker has asked the Vice President to lead a renewed effort to hunt down misspent tax dollars in every agency, calling it the campaign to cut waste.

The US Treasury Department has been flagged for potential waste and abuse of taxpayer funds, with about 23% of entitlements, roughly $50 billion annually, going to recipients without known Social Security numbers or IDs. This equates to about a billion dollars a week in potential fraud. Adding to the concern, the Treasury Department hasn't been keeping itemized records of their payouts, making it impossible to track where the money is actually going. Fortunately, an agreement has been made where the Treasury Department will start itemizing all payments, detailing where the money is going and to whom. It's unbelievable that the Treasury hasn't had to provide accountability for where taxpayer money is being spent, especially when individual taxpayers are held to a much higher standard.

The speaker states a commitment to root out wasteful spending in government, given that families have had to cut back. This is important due to inherited deficits that have grown due to the recession. While cutting some worthy programs, the administration is launching its own initiative to cut waste and improve government, citing a lack of Congressional action. Thousands of unneeded government buildings are being eliminated, saving billions. Roger Rhodes at the Department of Commerce found a way to save almost $2,000,000 a year on cellphone bills. Celeste Steele at Homeland Security is saving tens of millions by changing how the department buys goods and services. The Vice President is working with agency secretaries to improve travel, transportation, and IT services, potentially saving billions. An executive order will direct agencies to slash spending in these areas by 20%, saving taxpayers billions over the next several years. The speaker is signing the bill and thanks officials for taking the project seriously.

$1 trillion of taxpayer money has been spent on unusual projects, including $10,000 for ice skating shows about climate change by the Bearded Ladies Cabaret, $32,000 on breakdancing, and nearly $500,000 to study if lonely rats prefer cocaine over happy rats. Additionally, $2 million was allocated for Paraguayan border security, $12 million for a pickleball complex in Las Vegas, and $20 million for a Sesame Street spin-off about inclusion in Iraq. Furthermore, $10 billion was spent on maintaining and leasing mostly empty buildings. This wasteful spending echoes a 2014 Trump tweet expressing hope that we never find life on other planets, fearing the U.S. would send them money.

The American people are tired of their tax dollars being wasted. For the first time, this president is committed to restoring accountability at every level of the federal government. If you agree there is waste, abuse, and corruption, why are you not celebrating the cuts and reforms that are being instituted? We are saving Americans billions of dollars and ending the theft, waste, grift, and corruption. We are stopping American taxpayer dollars from subsidizing a rogue federal bureaucracy that has been relentlessly weaponized against the American people. We care about this issue. The American public overwhelmingly supports what President Trump is doing.

Since 2012, the government has wasted nearly $3 trillion in taxpayer money. Last year alone, improper payments totaled $247 billion. This includes payments to deceased individuals; over $530 million in pension payments went to dead people. Medicare improperly paid out $47 billion, and Medicaid, $81 billion. Fraudulent payments under the Biden administration reached $764 billion in just three years. These improper payments add up to $2.8 trillion – enough to cover five years of US foreign aid. This amounts to $850 per person in the country.

A congressman questions witnesses about property ownership and federal spending. He asks if members of Congress or their spouses own property leased to the government and is told that this information can be found on USA Spending and Open the Books websites. He inquires about underutilized federal space and is told that there is not good data available, but Congress has required a study. The congressman expresses skepticism about government studies. He asks how much the government could save by letting unneeded leases expire and is told the government spends about $6 billion on leased office space. The congressman advocates for the federal government to list its properties for public review, similar to what he did as mayor of Knox County. He suggests the public is smart enough to make better assumptions if given access to this information. Witnesses acknowledge the importance of data and transparency, stating that taxpayers have the right to inspect the government's finances.

Today, I walked past the Government Accountability Office (GAO) Building in Washington, DC. The GAO is supposed to audit federal departments and prevent fraud and inefficiencies, but it seems ineffective. The building is massive, filled with numerous offices and employees, yet they fail to make an impact. Many believe they protect corruption within the federal government. Despite the size and resources, the GAO's recommendations are largely ignored, and they seem unable to fulfill their purpose. It's surprising to see such a large establishment that does not accomplish its intended goals.

The government is initiating a campaign to cut waste, led by the Vice President, to eliminate misspent tax dollars across all agencies. This includes cutting back on billions of dollars in programs and eliminating pointless waste that doesn't benefit anyone. Examples of waste include a website devoted to a folk music ensemble made up of forest rangers and thousands of unused buildings across the country, such as a massive empty warehouse in Brooklyn. The government plans to get rid of these buildings after red tape held things up for years. The aim is to instill a new culture of transparency and accountability in government, ensuring it functions better and eliminates fraud and waste. The administration hopes every succeeding administration will pursue this goal.

Speaker 0 highlights that the report indicates the federal government wasted millions in the past year on transgender animal experiments and lab testing beagles in China, noting a contrast with funds used for voting identification. He frames the issue as a question of priorities: we don’t want to pay for people to have an ID to vote, but we’ll pay for lab testing beagles in China. Speaker 1 responds by acknowledging the presence of extensive federal spending and the need for greater oversight. He says this is the ninth year they have worked through this, and that there is always a need for more eyes on it and greater transparency. He emphasizes that the problem is not confined to a single administration or Congress, but rather that there is broad complexity requiring scrutiny and sunshine. Speaker 1 identifies the shutdown as the largest area of waste in the prior year, stating that $85,000,000,000 was lost during that period. He argues that shutdowns do have real fiscal impacts, countering a common belief that they do not affect outcomes. He then points to a specific critique: a quarter of a billion dollars was spent on transitioning mice and monkeys by NIH. He claims that American taxpayers do not want their dollars spent on such activities, and reiterates that taxpayers are more supportive of spending on national defense, education, and infrastructure, but not on what he describes as wasteful or inappropriate expenditures. Across the exchange, the speakers stress the overarching theme of government spending that does not align with the public’s perceived priorities. They emphasize the need for oversight and accountability, highlighting large-scale waste associated with shutdowns and specific research expenditures. The dialogue centers on contrasting perceived essential investments with expenditures they describe as wasteful or misaligned with taxpayer priorities, especially in the context of animal research and international laboratory activities.

We're streamlining the federal bureaucracy, aiming to reduce the workforce. We found a surprising bottleneck: the retirement process. Currently, the maximum number of retirements per month is capped at 10,000 due to a completely manual, paper-based system. The paperwork is stored in a 1950s-era limestone mine, and the speed of the mine shaft elevator limits processing. This antiquated system employs thousands of people whose efforts could be far better utilized elsewhere. The situation is absurd; we need to modernize this process immediately. Imagine the increased efficiency and contribution to the country's goods and services if these employees were redeployed.

The speaker outlines several policy and oversight actions within HUD and related agencies. First, they assert that non-permanent residents are no longer eligible for FHA insured mortgages, and that public housing authorities are being audited to ensure taxpayer dollars do not support illegal aliens, insisting that “American dollars should benefit American citizens and American citizens only.” Despite these emphasis on restricting benefits, the speaker notes that HUD previously provided a pathway for home ownership and supported housing affordability for more than 1,000,000 Americans through FHA and Ginnie Mae, highlighting the agency’s impact in expanding access to housing and affordability. On stewardship and accountability, the speaker emphasizes a strong focus on cracking down on waste and fraud and abuse. They cite findings from the office of the chief financial officer (CFO) regarding potential financial issues: more than $5,000,000,000 in potential payment errors and over $50,000,000,000 in total rental assistance for fiscal year 2024. They also point to a specific problem within that broader amount: money that went to nearly 30,000 dead people. The speaker characterizes these financial findings as ludicrous and unacceptable, stating that such issues are a violation of the sacred trust with American taxpayers. They assert that the problem “has to end, and it will,” signaling a firm commitment to ending waste, fraud, and abuse and to restoring confidence in the management of housing programs and related federal dollars.

Many federal workers have not returned to the office since COVID, with about half still working from home. They continue to receive paychecks while some have negotiated to be in the office just one day a month. This often results in employees coming in only on the last day of one month and the first day of the next, effectively working in the office for only two days every two months. Many have moved to areas with a lower cost of living while maintaining their government salaries. There are concerns about the productivity of these remote workers and the implications for taxpayers, especially if they are not contributing to the nation's progress while working from home.

A recent report revealed that only about 1% of federal employees are working in the office, excluding security personnel. This situation is unacceptable to the American public. The new administration and Congress will likely push for federal workers to return to their offices and fulfill their responsibilities. The focus will be on common sense, accountability, and efficiency in government, which will ultimately benefit the people.