Emmanuel Ochayi
Elon Musk, leader of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has claimed that over $100 billion in entitlements are paid annually to individuals without a Social Security Number (SSN) or even a temporary identification number.
Musk made this revelation on Saturday in a statement via his X account, explaining the ongoing collaboration between DOGE and the US Treasury Department.
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Speaking on the issue, Musk expressed his concern over the payments, stating “Yesterday (Friday), I was told that there are currently over $100 billion per year of entitlement payments to individuals with no SSN or even a temporary ID number. If accurate, this is extremely suspicious.”
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Musk further questioned the level of fraud within the system and revealed an estimate given by officials at the Treasury Department.
“When I asked if anyone at Treasury had a rough guess for what percentage of that number is unequivocal and obvious fraud, the consensus in the room was about half, so $50 billion per year or $1 billion per week!”
Calling for urgent measures, Musk declared “This is utterly insane and must be addressed immediately.”
DOGE Seeks Treasury Payment Records
Elon Musk’s statement comes as DOGE is pushing for access to payment records from the US Treasury Department. However, early on Saturday, US District Judge Paul Engelmayer ruled against DOGE, blocking the agency from accessing the financial data of millions of Americans in Treasury records.
DOGE’s Cost-Cutting Measures Continue
DOGE, backed by US President Donald Trump, has been working to cut costs across various government agencies. This includes actions taken at the Treasury Department and the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
Recently, DOGE dismantled USAID, leaving only about 600 employees out of its 10,000-plus global staff. Many employees have been placed on leave as part of the restructuring.
The controversy surrounding these payments is expected to draw further scrutiny as DOGE continues its cost-reduction efforts.
Emmanuel Ochayi is a journalist. He is a graduate of the University of Lagos, School of first choice and the nations pride. Emmanuel is keen on exploring writing angles in different areas, including Business, climate change, politics, Education, and others.
