By admin 
Washington:
A proposal that started on social media has now made its way to the White House, gaining strong support from President Donald Trump. The idea? Use some of the savings from billionaire Elon Musk’s government spending cuts and return them to taxpayers.
“I love it,” Trump said on Wednesday night aboard Air Force One when asked about the proposal.
If Musk’s goal of $2 trillion in spending cuts is achieved by next year, supporters suggest that about one-fifth of those savings could be distributed to taxpaying households, with each household receiving a check of approximately $5,000.
However, before Americans get too excited, budget experts warn that such massive savings—nearly one-third of the federal government’s annual budget—are highly unlikely. Additionally, economists caution that distributing checks, similar to the pandemic-era stimulus payments under Trump and President Joe Biden, could fuel inflation, though White House officials have dismissed this concern.
With last year’s $1.8 trillion budget deficit and Trump proposing further tax cuts, there will also be significant pressure to use all the savings to reduce the deficit rather than distribute a portion to taxpayers.
Where Did This Idea Come From?
James Fishback, founder of investment firm Azoria Partners, first promoted the idea on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday. Musk responded, saying he would “check with the president.” Fishback also mentioned “behind-the-scenes” discussions with White House officials regarding the plan.
Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) claims to have cut $55 billion from federal spending so far—only a fraction of the $6.8 trillion federal budget. However, DOGE has not yet provided verified proof of these savings, and some of its claims—such as fraudulent Social Security payments to millions of deceased individuals—have been debunked.
Fishback suggests that the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office should verify DOGE’s actual savings. He also stated that if DOGE achieves $500 billion in savings by July 2026, the checks would be around $1,250 instead of $5,000.
“We uncovered enormous waste, fraud, and abuse,” Fishback told the Associated Press. “Now, we’re going to correct it, pay restitution, and redefine the social contract between taxpayers and the federal government.”
Fishback prefers directly sending checks to taxpayers rather than using all the savings to reduce the deficit, arguing that this approach would encourage Americans to identify and report government waste in their communities to DOGE.
When Would Taxpayers Get Their Checks?
Not so fast. According to the proposal, DOGE must first complete its cost-cutting work, which is expected to continue until July 2026. Once the savings are verified, about one-fifth of the funds could be distributed later that year to roughly 79 million taxpaying households.
However, about 40% of Americans do not pay federal income taxes, meaning they would not receive a check under this plan.
How Much Can DOGE Realistically Save?
Most economists and budget analysts remain skeptical about DOGE’s ability to significantly reduce government spending. For decades, politicians from both parties have attempted to eliminate “wasteful spending” with little success in shrinking the federal deficit.
One of the Trump administration’s most significant cost-cutting moves so far has been laying off tens of thousands of government workers, but experts argue that such reductions are unlikely to result in substantial savings.
The Bottom Line
At this stage, the plan is still just an idea, and there has been no formal action in Congress or the White House to implement it.
Even if the proposal moves forward, taxpayers wouldn’t see any potential payments until 2026—and that’s only if DOGE actually delivers the massive savings it promises.
Gill Bikram Singh