Musk: US budget loses about $700 billion annually due to government corruption  

Head of the US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Elon Musk has stated that government mismanagement results in an annual loss of around $700 billion from the nation's budget.

“Fraud in the federal government is closer to 10% of disbursements, so more like ~$700 billion per year. Outright waste is at least 15%, so another trillion+ dollars. Anyone who works in government knows this,” Caliber.Az reports, citing Musk’s message on X.

Moreover, Musk noted that during the administration of US ex-President Joe Biden, billions of dollars that were meant to aid struggling Americans were instead diverted to support illegal immigration.

A federal prosecutor appointed by President Donald Trump revealed that the FBI is investigating allegations of the "targeting" of staff involved in Elon Musk's push to reduce the size of the US government. Reports suggest that career government officials have tried to thwart the efforts of Musk's aides, who are working with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), to access large amounts of classified information without proper authorization.

DOGE was launched as an ambitious initiative to reduce the federal workforce and cut government spending by billions, but critics argue that it is being used to target agencies and programs that don't align with Trump’s conservative, isolationist "America First" agenda.

Edward Martin, the acting US Attorney in Washington, made the statement, marking the first indication that opposition to Musk's efforts could lead to legal repercussions, potentially deterring public workers from resisting DOGE's perceived overreach.

"Our initial review of the evidence presented to us indicates that certain individuals and/or groups have committed acts that appear to violate the law in targeting DOGE employees," Martin said in a statement. 

Martin stated that the FBI and other law enforcement agencies were preparing to take swift action. This remark followed Martin’s release of a letter he had sent to Musk, requesting information about individuals who may have attempted to threaten or obstruct people working alongside Musk.

In response, Musk thanked Martin for his message. It remains unclear who the prosecutors believe may have broken the law or what potential charges they could face. It is uncommon for a prosecutor to discuss an ongoing investigation before charges are filed in court.

The Trump administration had previously removed two senior security officials from the US Agency for International Development (USAID), a major target of Musk’s efforts, after they attempted to block DOGE representatives from accessing secure areas within the building. 

The security personnel were confronted by members of the US Marshals Service. Additionally, a career official from the Treasury Department unsuccessfully resisted the DOGE team's attempt to access the agency's payment system. Musk, the world's wealthiest individual and CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, and owner of X, is spearheading an initiative to significantly reduce the size of the US government, including offering substantial buyouts to federal employees. 

Martin, who serves as the interim US Attorney, oversaw the dismissal of all criminal cases related to the January 6, 2021, US Capitol attack following an order from Trump. He has made several public statements in support of Trump and criticised his political opponents, breaking from the norm for US attorneys, who typically refrain from making statements that could be seen as political.

By Naila Huseynova